LAHORE: The Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz is introducing new defamation law in a bid to ‘stop fake news’.
“A person who lies under the guise of a journalist with a specific agenda will face the music under this proposed law,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told journalists here on Wednesday.
As the defamation bill 2024 is being tabled in the Punjab Assembly for approval, the government has asked all journalist bodies to submit their concerns by May 19.The opposition in the Punjab Assembly is of the opinion that the PML-N government wants to curb freedom of speech in the name of defamation.
Minister Bokhari said: “The need to introduce new defamation law is felt because under the old defamation law, no case could go beyond the issuance of a notice by a court of law.”Under the proposed legislation, she said, “a high court judge will be given the status of a tribunal. The judge will have to hear only two defamation cases a day and complete proceedings within 180 days.”
She said the government did not want to use this law for politics, rather the new law would save people from being scandalised on false allegations.
Assuring the journalists that the proposed law (of defamation) was not against them, the information minister said: “It is against those who disgrace others by telling lies.” She also attempted to dispel the impression that if the bill got passed in the assembly, it would compromise freedom of expression.
Citing examples of other countries, the minister said many of the (fake) news stories that got published in Pakistan could not be published in other countries which have strong defamation laws. “After this law, no one can be blackmailed. Freedom of expression can neither be restricted, nor will be allowed to commit wrongdoing.”
According to her, the proposed law will also address the issue of fake news on social media.However, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar said the government aimed to curb freedom of speech in the name of defamation. He advised the PML-N administration not to introduce this law in haste.
