Punjab governor calls for revisiting controversial defamation law

RAWALPINDI: Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Haider suggested sending the recently passed Punjab Defamation Bill 2024, back to the assembly for further review amid significant public and political uproar on Thursday.

Addressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi, the governor expressed his hope that the Punjab government would review the law again.

Read more: PPP not to support defamation bill

On Monday, the Provincial Assembly of Punjab passed the defamation bill, rejecting all amendments proposed by the opposition. The decision provoked protests from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members and journalists covering the parliamentary proceedings.

SIC members tore apart copies of the bill after the assembly passed it. Over 80 civil society organisations protested, condemning the bill as a gross infringement on the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and press freedom.

The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), a public interest forum based in Lahore, urged the Punjab government to reconsider the bill, calling it “draconian,” “illogical,” and a “violation of the judgments of the superior courts.” Even the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), an ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, distanced itself from the controversial bill.

In an interview, the governor discussed the possibility of sending the bill back to the assembly for review. He acknowledged that he had not seen the bill yet, but the widespread controversy indicated that the bill needed rethinking.

The Punjab governor suggested that the matter should not have been rushed and that the bill should have been presented after adequate discussion with all stakeholders. He suggested involving journalist associations and other relevant parties in the discussions to find a proper solution.

The governor did acknowledge some merit in the bill, particularly regarding the regulation of social media. He stated that social media allowed anyone to accuse someone without accountability, and the bill aimed to address such issues.

The governor stated that he would review the bill with his legal team. He called for all stakeholders to debate the bill’s provisions and work towards a consensus. He assured that he would be available to help facilitate these discussions.

The bill was vetted by a special committee in the absence of proper standing committees. It was tabled by Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman. The PML-N government refused to delay voting on the bill, even for a week, despite requests from journalists.

The controversial law proposes the establishment of a special tribunal to legally try anyone involved in drafting, publishing, or airing “fake news.” The tribunal gets to decide cases within six months and may impose fines of up to Rs3 million.

Read more: Journalists to stage protest against defamation bill approval

For allegations against people holding constitutional posts, the high court will hear the cases. The contentious bill also stipulates that the government will provide legal assistance to women and transgender people in defamation cases through an official legal team.

The government did not agree to send the draft bill to a selected committee comprising opposition members to invite all stakeholders for consultation. They asserted that the bill had already been thoroughly discussed by the special committee.