Cyber Law and Practice of Freedom of Speech on Internet: Pakistan Perspective

The study was conducted with the aim of exploring the prevailing cyber law, better called as, Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act -2016 (PECA-2016) with regard to practice of freedom of speech on internet in Pakistan. Having discussed in brief the regime for freedom of speech under constitution of Pakistan 1973 and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is a party, so obliged legally and morally to obey it. A mix method, where exploratory sequential approach was employed to analyse the issue of violation of freedom of speech on technology by the application of stringent provisions of PECA-2016 by government authorities in Pakistan. Thematic analysis of interviews were done through NVivo and quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS. Results highlighted that the prevailing cyber technology law in Pakistan is in clear contradiction with the regime for freedom of speech in Pakistan's constitution and ICCPR. The study expressed that certain provisions of PECA-2016 are stringent and suppressed the voices of internet users. Nevertheless, it also appeals to the policy makers to repeal or amend the prevailing law of technology okand to make it in conformity with the legal regime for freedom of speech in Pakistan.