Punjab Assembly Passes Controversial Defamation Bill Amid Opposition Protests » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya May 23 – The Punjab Assembly has passed the Defamation Bill, 2024, rejecting all amendments proposed by the opposition amidst protests by the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and journalists covering parliamentary proceedings.
Members of the SIC tore apart copies of the bill after it was passed through a voice vote. Vetted by Special Committee-1 in the absence of standing committees, the bill was tabled by Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman after the PML-N government refused a request by journalists to delay voting on the bill by a week.
In response, members of the press gallery walked out of the assembly in protest, labeling the bill a “curb on free media.”
The draft law proposes a special tribunal to try those involved in drafting, publishing, and/or airing “fake news.” The tribunal is mandated to decide cases within six months and may impose fines of up to Rs3 million. However, cases involving allegations against individuals holding constitutional posts will be heard by the high court.
Additionally, the bill stipulates that the government will provide legal assistance to women and transgender individuals in defamation cases through an official legal team.
The government had previously declined to send the draft bill to a selected committee comprising opposition members for broader consultation, arguing that it had already been thoroughly discussed by the special committee.
Opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachhar questioned the urgency in passing the bill before midnight. SIC lawmakers waved placards and raised slogans against the bill, submitting 10 amendments in opposition.
PTI-backed SIC member Rana Shahbaz Ahmad claimed that opposition members of the special committee were not present during the bill’s vetting. He argued that the tribunal judge should be appointed by the chief justice, rather than the government, to avoid societal damage.
Another PTI-backed SIC lawmaker, Ahmar Rashid Bhatti, contended that the law violated Articles 8, 202, and 203 of the Constitution, noting that the term ‘defamation’ had been removed from the Constitution through the fourth amendment but was now being reintroduced.
PML-N lawmaker Rai Ahsan Raza raised concerns about the implementation of the law if allegations were made by individuals outside Punjab. PTI-backed SIC lawmaker Jam Amanullah feared the law would benefit those with close connections to the military establishment. Junaid Afzal Sahi, another PTI-backed SIC legislator, believed the law targeted his party, following previous media restrictions.
In a rare move, Advocate-General Khalid Ishaq joined the house proceedings and addressed the opposition’s objections by reading out key points of the bill.
‘Black Law’ Protests
Journalists boycotted the house proceedings and gathered outside the assembly building to protest against what they termed a ‘black law.’ Lahore Press Club president Arshad Ansari stated that the government had engaged journalists in talks for over two hours but did not agree to postpone the bill’s approval for a week to allow for stakeholder consensus.
Ansari recalled Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s participation in the journalists’ protest against the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) amendments by the PTI government, criticizing her party’s current stance. He warned of further protests and sit-ins, announcing that a joint action committee of print and electronic media representatives would decide on a future course of action within two days.
Meanwhile, Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan prorogued the house indefinitely following the completion of the day’s agenda.
About The Author
