PML-N’s New Defamation Law- What makes the Punjab government so eager to enforce harsh laws that no dignified community would accept? The rush to pass the Defamation Bill 2024, despite objections from journalists and opposition legislators, is an alarming hint. It shows how the PML-N has let go of its values since reclaiming authority.
The party, once a defender of the people, is now inventing ways to mute them. Like the echo of a warning, it must be underlined again that this new law could be their downfall. The party’s prior move, the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, turned into a burden when the establishment disapproved. The advice to the Punjab government to involve everyone was simply to help them steer clear of repeating such an error.
Following a Punjab Assembly meeting on Monday, the president of the Lahore Press Club addressed the crowd. He reminded them of a time when Punjab’s Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, stood arm-in-arm with protesters. Nawaz voiced her opposition when PTI planned to give more power to Peca, a law designed to suppress public opinion. But now, the president asked, why was she pushing for legislation viewed as silencing the media?
Did She just Adopt a Stance for Political gains Before?
Did her group think about the possible impact of this law if they clash with the authorities again? Last time, they could openly express their unhappiness and blame the ones responsible. This saved them politically. But if it happens again, the law they approved means they, and their leaders, must endure without protest.
Defamation isn’t just an issue for society at large. It’s not only the Punjab government’s problem. Journalists just wanted a week from the Punjab government. They needed time to rethink the law, find common ground. Meanwhile, the opposition proposed a few edits to the law. Some of these suggestions may have made the law much better.
Had the government in Lahore included these two key figures in their conversations, a just and universally accepted law could have been within reach. The choice to disregard them shows a reluctance to uphold democratic ideals during law-making. It reveals an inclination to enforce its desires onto the people instead.
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The main issue with successive Pakistani governments ignoring opposing views is that the political process struggles to perform. For things to improve, the Punjab government needs to pull back this risky proposal and interact with others involved. Time hasn’t run out yet.