The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), a self-styled public curiosity discussion board based mostly in Lahore, on Wednesday urged the Punjab authorities to rethink the not too long ago handed Punjab Defamation Invoice, 2024, calling it “draconian”, “illogical” and a “violation of the judgments of the superior courts.”
On Monday, the Punjab Meeting passed the invoice, rejecting all amendments proposed by the opposition amid protests by the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council and journalists masking parliamentary proceedings.
The SIC members tore aside copies of the invoice after the Home handed it by a voice vote.
Vetted by the Particular Committee-1 within the absence of standing committees, the invoice was tabled by Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman after the PML-N authorities refused to delay voting on the invoice, even for per week, on the request of journalists.
On the event, the press gallery members walked out of the meeting to boycott the proceedings. They rejected the invoice as a “curb on free media”.
A letter was written on this regard by the Judicial Activism Panel dated Could 21, a replica of which is accessible with Daybreak.com, and it was addressed to the Governor of Punjab in addition to the provincial chief minister.
It urged the places of work to “chorus from giving assent to such a draconian invoice with out making an allowance for the viewpoints of stakeholders.”
The letter referred to the invoice as “an try to grab the correct and freedom of speech which is a transparent lower violation of Article 19 and 19A of the Structure”.
It additional acknowledged that earlier than approaching the superior courts, a good alternative was being supplied to the respective places of work, in addition to the provincial meeting, to rethink the invoice “within the curiosity of the nation.”
reject the Punjab Defamation Invoice, on condition that it was a gross infringement on the basic rights of freedom of expression and press freedom.
It mentioned that the invoice served as a “draconian and regressive” device to suppress dissent and criticism and notably focused journalists and the broader public.
“Its specific mandate of safeguarding ‘public officers’ towards defamation is nothing wanting an authoritarian manoeuvre, designed to protect these in energy from accountability and scrutiny,” it mentioned.
It mentioned that the invoice’s provisions, which permit defamation actions to be initiated with out proof of precise injury and imposing extortionate fines, amounted to nothing lower than authorized intimidation techniques.
Moreover, the invoice’s broad definition of “journalists” and “newspapers” to incorporate social media customers set a harmful precedent for stifling freedom of expression on-line, the assertion mentioned.
“The proposed punishments, together with the potential of blocking social media accounts, are disproportionate and antithetical to democratic rules,” it mentioned.
The alliance urged the Punjab authorities to heed civil society and stakeholders’ voices and reverse the hassle to cross one other regressive laws akin to Peca (Prevention of Digital Crimes Act).
It known as for the defamation invoice to be “scrapped fully”, demanding the governor of Punjab to not signal the invoice.
It mentioned that future makes an attempt to handle disinformation and hate speech on on-line platforms ought to be initiated with inclusive consultations on the nationwide degree.