Fida Hussnain
The opposition leaders in Punjab Assembly objected to the provincial government’s defamation bill, and demanded the government take the members of the civil society and relevant stakeholders into confidence.The opposition leaders also demanded to send the bill back to the committee. The session started two hours late from its schedule, with Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan presiding over it. “The bill should be sent back to the committee,” said Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bachchar as the members of the treasury presented it in the house for debate. He questioned the urgency behind presenting the bill. RanaAftab Khan, another member of the opposition, also expressed the same sentiments, saying that why the stakeholders and members of the civil society were not consulted. “The journalists will face the action under this bill if he gives or files any story,” said RanaAftab Khan. On it, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said, “had Punjab Information Minister AzmaBokhari been here she would have responded to the queries in this regard,”.
He said the opposition could come up with their suggestions on the bill.“The opposition leaders can oppose this bill,” said the speaker, announcing that the voting on this bill would be done on coming Monday. The speaker said, “the opposition has five-day time to give suggestions on it,”. Journalists’ community: The journalists community, however, reacted to the provincial government’s move to present and approve Defamation Law 2024, terming it an attack on the freedom of press.
