[:en]By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE: General Secretary of Pakistan People’s Party Central Punjab, Syed Hassan Murtaza, while reacting to the passage of the Defamation Bill 2024, said that the approval of the bill was given hastily, and its consequences would not be good.
Murtaza believed that it would have been better to get all stakeholders on board before passing the bill. People’s Party considers the Defamation Bill to be a restriction on journalism and freedom of expression.
Hassan Murtaza accused the Acting Governor of Punjab of taking undue advantage of the situation.
It seems thaty the N-League waited for the departure of Governor Punjab, Sardar Saleem Haider, from the country. People’s Party has been expressing its reservations on this bill since day one. Despite the worst media trial of the party leadership, People’s Party never targeted journalism.
Hassan Murtaza noted that the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 garnered immense criticism, particularly from journalists and digital rights activists. The bill received its final approval from Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, who currently holds the position of acting governor in the absence of Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem haider.[:]
