Jamaat-e-Islami Leader Arrested in Mansehra Under Amended PECA Law

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Shabbir Ahmed has been arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in Mansehra, marking the first case registered under the recently amended PECA law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to reports, Ahmed was taken into custody following a speech he delivered on Kashmir Solidarity Day, in which he allegedly made statements against the government and state institutions. Authorities have confirmed that he will be presented before an anti-terrorism court in Abbottabad today.

The arrest comes in the wake of the enforcement of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendments Act, 2025, across Pakistan. The law, which received formal assent from President Asif Ali Zardari, has been met with widespread criticism. Following its passage through the Senate and National Assembly, the journalist community staged nationwide protests, calling for the government to repeal what they describe as a ‘controversial’ piece of legislation.

The implementation of the amended PECA law has sparked debates over press freedom and digital rights in the country, with critics arguing that it could be used to stifle dissent and restrict free speech.