LAHORE – The contentious ‘Defamation Bill 2024’ lands in Punjab Assembly to deal with fake news on various media platforms. The bill, presented by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, faced opposition from both the opposition and journalists, who walked out and boycotted the proceedings.
The bill was said to deal with misinformation on social media platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, allowing defamation cases to be filed against those peddling fake news.
The defamation bill proposes fines of up to Rs30lacs and special tribunals to hear defamation cases, with quick verdicts expected. The bill further specifies that the high court will handle cases involving allegations against individuals holding constitutional posts.
