New Delhi: A new defamation bill in Pakistan has lawyers, journalists, and activists up in arms against the Punjab government, with many calling it draconian and one curbing press freedom. In a session marked by vehement opposition and media outcry, the Punjab Assembly passed the Defamation Bill 2024 Monday amid protests and boycotts.
What followed was a dramatic move where the Sunni Ittehad Council tore pages of the document in the assembly and journalists staged a massive walkout, calling the bill a ‘curb on free speech’, Dawn reported.
Earlier, the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government had asked all journalist bodies to send their concerns regarding the bill by 19 May. But the assembly rejected all the suggestions and passed the bill amid heavy opposition.
The Defamation Bill 2024, proposed by Punjab finance minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and backed by the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) aims to combat the spread of fake news and misinformation.
However, opposition lawmakers, journalists, and rights organisations argue that it constitutes a severe assault on press freedom. “The Punjab government wants to stop journalists from speaking the truth. The Maryam administration is on a dictatorial path to shut the eyes and mouths of journalists,” a statement released by the Lahore Press Club read.
Speaking to ThePrint from Lahore, Ajmal Jami, a senior journalist said: “Any rules or regulations made for the media in a country, without the consultation of journalists will be lethal because anyone can be charged under these laws without evidence. It will then be considered draconian, similar to laws passed during the dictatorship era in Pakistan.”
What is the bill about?
Central to the bill is the establishment of a special tribunal tasked with adjudicating cases related to defamation and fake news. The tribunal, empowered to impose fines of up to PKR 3 million, raises concerns about the government’s ability to curb dissenting voices and stifle critical journalism. The scope of the bill extends to addressing fake news circulated through platforms like YouTube and various social media channels. It proposes that the tribunals reach decisions within a six-month timeframe.
Shafique Ahmed, a lawyer and human rights activist based in Pakistan, said that the main objective of such bills is to “suppress freedom of expression”.
“This act also violates Article 19, Article 8, 202 and 203 of the Constitution of Pakistan and throws the country back to conditions similar to dictator Zia’s regime,” he added.
Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar denounced the bill as a “black law”, emphasising his party’s refusal to endorse it.
Civil society organisations, including the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), have condemned the bill as draconian and antithetical to democratic principles.
“Punjab defamation bill throttles free expression,” the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan tweeted in their press release.
‘Draconian, nonsensical’
Defending the bill, Punjab information minister Azma Bukhari argued that its primary objective is to combat the proliferation of lies and defamation. She emphasised the need to hold those accountable who peddle fake news under the guise of journalism, asserting that the law aims to uphold truth and integrity in media discourse.
However, citizens don’t seem convinced.
‘Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 and the federal government’s proposed ‘Digital Media Authority’ is a stupid attempt at censorship, utterly nonsensical, authoritarian, and completely against freedom of expression!” a political analyst tweeted.
Others called it ‘a terrible legislative proposal’.
Women Action Forum in Lahore, too, condemned the bill, calling it “a severe threat to freedom of expression for journalists and the public nationwide”. News International editor Zebunissa Burki termed the bill a “draconian effort to silence independent voices and expand the ambit of defamation”.
According to Jami, the government should consult journalists and call for a referendum.
“Only editors and journalists know how to gatekeep (against fake news). It is a journalistic concept and government should not move forward with this bill in this manner,” he added.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)
its india copying from paskistan at times and pakistan copying from india at times.. only to suppress people… we find many similarities between the current indian, pakistani and bangladeshi govts.. opposition leaders in jail or put into some cases, godi media…..public being squeezed out…