Tumultuous PA session today as govt brings defamation bill for voting
Pakistan
Azma Bukhari to sit with the journalists’ community tomorrow ahead of the voting
LAHORE (Dunya News) - The uproar and pandemonium are likely in Punjab Assembly as the government brought ‘The Punjab Defamation Bill’ for voting on the agenda item for today’s session.
The journalists community has already rejected the proposed bill and given a protest call for tomorrow in Punjab Assembly.
A meeting was held yesterday at Lahore Press Club with President Arshad Ansari in the chair to deliberate over the bill. It was attended by the representatives of APNS, CPNE, Punjab Assembly Press Gallery, PFUJ and PUJ. The meeting rejected the bill and gave a protest call from Monday.
Earlier, the opposition in Punjab Assembly has also rejected the bill and sought some amendments to the legislation.
“All the stakeholders and civil society members should be consulted before the passage of the bill,” opposition leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar had said, while speaking in the house.
Rana Aftab Khan, MPA from the opposition benches, had questioned the hurry behind the passage of the bill and requested the chair to bring it in the house after thorough deliberations with all the stakeholders.
Also Read: Punjab eyes defamation law promulgation to counter spread of false, fabricated news
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan had asked the opposition to submit its recommendations and suggestions on the draft of the bill.
“The opposition has every right to oppose the bill. You can give your reservations on the bill till Monday when it will be taken in the house for voting,” speaker had said.
Meanwhile, provincial information minister Azma Bukhari has said that the government’s only agenda is to discourage the fake news and therefore the bill was brought in the house.
“I’ll meet the representatives of all the unions of journalists’ community tomorrow on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz before the assembly session,” said Azma Bukhari in a statement.
Read More: Punjab Assembly session: Opposition raises reservations over defamation bill
We’ll sit with the journalists’ community to talk about the defamation bill as the government only wants to discourage the fake and fabricated news, she added.
The bill is meant to prevent the spread of false, fabricated and fictitious news through print, electronic and social media.
