QUETTA | ANN | The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has disposed of a joint constitutional petition filed by the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) and the Balochistan Bar Council challenging the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), directing the petitioners to approach the Federal Constitutional Court, where a related case is already pending.
Balochistan High Court directs BUJ and Balochistan Bar Council to seek participation in pending constitutional case challenging PECA
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Kamran Malakhail and Justice Najmuddin Mengal heard the petition.
Advocate Rahib Baloch, a member of the Balochistan Bar Council, represented the petitioners, while BUJ Senior Vice President Fareedullah Khan was also present during the hearing.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Advocate Rahib Baloch said Constitutional Petition No. 17/2025, titled Abdul Qayyum vs. Government of Pakistan, was already pending before the Federal Constitutional Court, with petitioners from all four provinces involved.
He said the BHC disposed of the joint petition on that basis and directed the petitioners to seek to become parties to the pending constitutional proceedings.
According to the lawyer, the journalists and lawyers can now pursue their legal objections to PECA before the Federal Constitutional Court.
The Balochistan High Court did not issue a final ruling on the constitutional validity of PECA, and the substantive legal challenge remains unresolved.
