The Punjab Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising various journalist bodies, on Tuesday rejected the province’s Defamation Bill, 2024, describing it as a “black law,” and announcing it will move the Lahore High Court (LHC) to seek the repeal of the legislation passed by the Punjab Assembly.
On Monday, the provincial assembly passed the controversial bill amidst strong protest from the opposition and journalists. The government maintains the law is aimed at curtailing “fake news,” but critics have noted that several provisions can easily be misused to stifle free speech.
In a statement issued after a meeting of the JAC—attended by delegations of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND)—it said the gathering had decided to continue its struggle against the defamation law. In this regard, it said, various political parties, human rights organizations and other stakeholders would be contacted to secure their support.
The participants of the meeting, per the JAC statement, described the bill as a draconian law. “It was clarified repeatedly that the media bodies are not against lawmaking but stakeholders should be consulted before legislation,” it said, adding the meeting had identified several authoritarian clauses in the bill that was passed. Among some points highlighted was the establishment of tribunals; fines; and clauses allegedly against freedom of expression.
Such clauses, the statement warned, aimed to suppress free speech and hamper journalism, stressing this would not be accepted under any circumstances. “None of the recommendations/suggestions sent by APNS and PBA were considered noteworthy and the black law was passed in haste, which is enough to expose the government’s ill intentions and aims behind this bill,” claimed the JAC.
Separately, a joint statement signed by over 80 civil society organizations and journalists termed the Defamation Bill 2024, a “gross infringement” of basic rights and rejected it. The statement specifically noted that the bill’s aim to safeguard “public officials” against defamation was an authoritarian measure seeking to shield those in power from accountability and scrutiny.
The statement also criticized the law allowing the initiation of defamation cases without proof of actual damage and claimed including social media users with media was aimed at stifling freedom of expression online. Urging the government to reverse the law, it said any future attempts to address fake news should be done only after consultations with all stakeholders.