Senior journalist Aslam Shah to look earlier than court docket amid nationwide protests over PECA case

KARACHI: Senior journalist Aslam Shah is scheduled to look on Monday (at the moment) earlier than the court docket of the Judicial Justice of the Peace-I, South District, on the Metropolis Courts Karachi. Journalists’ our bodies, legal professionals and representatives of civil society organisations have additionally introduced that they may attend the proceedings to precise solidarity.
Following his arrest beneath the Prevention of Digital Crimes Act (PECA) and subsequent launch on bail, Mr Shah will current himself earlier than the civil and judicial Justice of the Peace on January 19, 2026. The case towards him was registered beneath Sections 20 and 24 of PECA on the grievance of an officer of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Company. After his arrest, the journalist was remanded to Malir Jail on judicial custody.
On January 14, the court docket, after listening to arguments from the defence legal professionals and the Federal Investigation Company (FIA), ordered his instant launch on bail. Numerous journalists and legal professionals have been current in court docket on the time.
Mr Shah’s arrest has triggered sturdy protests throughout the nation. Journalists’ organisations, together with human rights and social teams, have condemned using PECA towards a senior journalist. The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), the Karachi Press Membership and different media our bodies have strongly criticised the registration of what they termed a “false and baseless” case, demanding its instant withdrawal.
The KUJ’s govt committee has described PECA as a “black regulation” that’s being misused towards working journalists. It has reiterated its demand that the case towards Mr Shah be withdrawn immediately.
The Karachi Union of Journalists has expressed gratitude to the President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt, Secretary Arshad Ansari, senior journalists Mazhar Abbas, Khurshid Abbasi, Karachi Press Membership President Fazil Jamili, Secretary Aslam Khan, and numerous journalists, legal professionals, labour leaders and human rights activists for standing by Aslam Shah in what it described as a troublesome time.
Talking to colleagues and supporters, Mr Shah thanked journalists, legal professionals and human rights activists for his or her solidarity. Individuals careworn that their battle was not restricted to Mr Shah’s arrest and bail, however was a part of a broader marketing campaign towards the PECA regulation itself and its alleged misuse to file circumstances towards journalists.
They emphasised the necessity to strengthen unity amongst journalists and allied teams, warning that if the journalistic group remained united, nobody would dare to register circumstances towards reporters for performing their skilled duties. Journalists’ organisations, legal professionals, human rights defenders, social activists and labour representatives have introduced that they may collect on the Metropolis Courts to indicate solidarity, calling the unity displayed by the journalistic group commendable and important for safeguarding press freedom sooner or later.