Journalist community rejects Punjab Defamation Bill 2024

LAHORE: The president of Lahore Press Club rejected the Defamation Bill 2024, terming the bill presented by the Punjab government ‘non-democratic’, ARY News reported on Monday.

During the press conference, Arshad Ansari, the president of the Lahore Press Club, stated that a protest was called in the Punjab Assembly today on behalf of government members following a meeting of the Joint Action Committee regarding the Defamation Bill 2024.

Ansari recalled that a consensus failed to be reached with the government members, as they had already decided to present the Defamation Bill in the assembly today.

He added that the committee had offered to delay the protest and requested the government members to postpone the bill for a week, but this request was not accepted.

Arshad Ansari expressed his concerns, questioning how new laws can be introduced when there are already existing laws such as the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

He criticized the introduction of the new defamation law, stating, “Today, the journalist community has been attacked, we will not compromise on the freedom of the press.”

“These government members are the ones who introduced the PECA law in Pakistan. When they are in opposition, they become champions of press freedom, but when they come into power, they want to control the media,” Ansari remarked.

The president of the Lahore Press Club highlighted that a meeting of the Joint Action Committee has been called in which the future course of action will be decided.

“We will boycott the national and other provincial assemblies including the Punjab Assembly,” Ansari said.

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Terming the Defamation Bill 2024 a ‘draconian law’, Arshad Ansari openly opposed and announced not to accept the bill under any circumstances.

Earlier in the day, the Punjab government tabled a bill titled ‘Defamation Bill 2024’ in the provincial assembly, which aimed at curbing the spread of fake news across print, electronic, and social media platforms.

The Defamation Bill 2024, which was tabled by Punjab’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, was strongly opposed by the opposition and journalists, who also staged a walkout from the press gallery and boycotted the proceedings.

The bill addresses the pervasive issue of misinformation on social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Under the bill, a defamation case can be filed on those spreading ‘fake news’.

The bill also proposes a fine of up to Rs3 million and special tribunals to hear defamation cases, which will be required to deliver verdicts within six months.