LAHORE: The acting governor of Punjab has signed the controversial defamation bill after which it has now become a law despite opposition from the journalist community, legal experts and human rights organizations.
A representative of the journalists said that under a conspiracy the governor was sent on leave after which the acting governor Malik Mehmood Ahmad Khan signed the bill into a law.
He said the PPP had supported the journalists over the draconian bill but it played a double game and was hand in glove with the PML-N government in passing the bill.
It may be mentioned here that despite opposition the PML-N government bulldozed the bill from the Punjab assembly a few weeks back.
The Joint Action Committee of journalists had already rejected the bill and termed it a bid to gag the freedom of expression.
After the passage of the bill, journalists boycotted the house and held a protest. They said the government had stabbed them in the back. They said the journalists would continue their protest against the draft law aimed at muzzling the press and social media.
The bill after becoming law would put restrictions on social media including Youtube. Any content scandalizing a citizen or an institution would be considered as a defamation leading to damages of up to Rs3 million.
There will be tribunals which will hear defamation cases and will decide them within six months.
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