Journalists call for PECA action against Sohail Warraich amid controversy

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 3 months ago |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD — The recent controversy surrounding columnist Sohail Warraich has intensified after the ISPR Director General refuted his claims about former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Questions are now being raised about whether a case under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) should be registered against Warraich.

At a press conference on Thursday, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that Warraich falsely claimed that Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir discussed Khan during a recent event in Brussels.

Journalist M Akbar Bajwa warned that if no action is taken against Warraich—including freezing his bank accounts—the ISPR clarification would be deemed “fake.”

PTI leader and former federal minister Sayed Zulfi Bukhari criticized Warraich, questioning why the columnist felt compelled to “cook up such lies.”

Journalist Harmeet Sindh noted, “This is exactly what happens when a journalist throws a story into the market and it backfires. The journalist should’ve thought twice before being used.”

Politician Mehr Abdul Sattar also questioned whether PECA provisions would apply. In a post on X, he wrote, “Today, the DG ISPR issued a clear denial of Sohail Warraich’s interview. The question is: will he now also face FIRs in various districts under Sections 20, 24, and 25 of PECA 2016 for ‘spreading false news, damaging the institution’s credibility, and undermining public trust’? Or is this injustice and double standard reserved only for Imran?”

Journalist Mariana Babar highlighted a photo of Warraich with Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir and asked whether the columnist had imagined the encounter.

Meanwhile, journalist Saddia Mazhar reflected on Warraich’s predicament on Facebook: “The journalist whom the press fraternity elevated to the pinnacle of journalism now faces a lesson of his own. The important point is that this also concerns the credibility of Jang and Sohail Warraich. The question is: does the PECA Act also apply to him, or is it enforced only on ordinary people?”

Photo credit: Dawn.com