LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Monday approved the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 amid the strong and noisy protests by the opposition.
According to the treasury benches the bill is aimed at stopping fake news while the media bodies termed it “draconian” in its current form.
Brushing aside the media bodies’ request to differ the proposed bill, Punjab’s Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Mian Shuja-ur-Rehman tabled the bill in the House. Earlier in the day, representatives of the media bodies met Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari and requested her to defer the controversial bill for a few days.
The House witnessed a ruckus and strong protest when the bill was tabled in the house while the journalists boycotted the proceedings of the House to register their protest.
Journalists’ leaders were of the view that the government stabbed them in their back after holding negotiation over the bill.
Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar said that the Defamation Bill 2024 is a black law and will not be a part of it.
More to follow…
