According to the details, the acting governor signed the draft of the Defamation Bill, 2024, and sent it back to the Punjab Assembly. The bill will come into force after the Gazette notification.
It should be noted here that Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider did not return the bill, and it was in the files of the Governor House.
After the arrival of the acting governor at the office, the bill came to his table and he signed it into the law.
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It is worth mentioning here that on May 20, 2024, the Defamation Bill, 2024, presented by the provincial government was passed by the Punjab Assembly despite the reservations and protests of the opposition and journalist organisations.
Under the bill passed by the provincial assembly, apart from TV channels and newspapers, a fine of Rs3 million in damages will be imposed over false news or defamation on Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Instagram.
Tribunals will be set up to hear the cases, and they will be bound to pronounce judgements within 180 days. High Court benches will hear the cases of persons appointed to constitutional positions.
On the other hand, a petition challenging the controversial Defamation Law, 2024, has landed in the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The petition was filed by Nadeem Sarwar Advocate, in which Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, and the provincial government have been made parties.
The petition stated the defamation law is against the law and the Constitution, adding a new law cannot be made in the presence of the defamation ordinance and the defamation act.
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It also said journalists were not consulted before presenting the Defamation Bill, 2024, in the provincial assembly, adding the law has been introduced in haste to control media and journalists.
The petition requested the court to declare the Defamation Law null and void.
It also requested the court to stop the Implementation of the law until the final decision on the petition.
