Fida Hussnain Lahore
After the passage of the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 by the Punjab government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-N amid vehement opposition protests, their close ally, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party, voiced grave concerns on Wednesday.
Syed Hassan Murtaza, the PPP Central Punjab General Secretary, said, “The PML-N neither consulted with the PPP nor sought any advice from us regarding the bill”.
The similar sentiments were expressed by PPP Parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Syed Ali Haider Gillani.
Both leaders unequivocally affirmed that “the PPP stands in solidarity with the media concerning the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 passed by the PML-N in the Punjab Assembly,”.
They emphasized that PPP members were absent from the house during the bill’s passage and did not support it.
Murtaza emphasized, “Despite media trials of President Asif Ali Zardari and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, freedom of expression was never restricted.” He underscored PPP’s stance against character assassination in the media while condemning the bill’s presentation without stakeholder consultation. “
The Punjab government should have engaged with journalist organizations prior to presenting the bill,” Murtaza added.
However, no response was given by any PML-N leader regarding the PPP’s stance on the bill’s passage.
During Monday’s session chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 was approved amidst protests from both the opposition and journalists’ bodies. Opposition parties and journalists vehemently protested against the bill on the assembly premises.
