Punjab Assembly Passes 'Punjab Defamation Bill 2024'

Muhammad Irfan Published May 21, 2024 | 12:00 AM

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2024) The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the 'Punjab Defamation Bill 2024' which was presented by Punjab Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.

The Punjab Assembly session started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran followed by the Naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool (PBUH). The proceeding began two hours twenty four minutes behind its scheduled time of 2:00 pm with the Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan in the chair.

According to treasury benches, the bill is aimed at stopping fake news.

The house witnessed a ruckus and strong protest when the bill was tabled, while the journalists boycotted the proceedings of the house to register their protest.

Opposition leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar speaking on the floor of the house termed the bill as black law and said that opposition would not become part of this bill and demanded to send it back to the select committee.

Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman opposed to send it back to the select committee and said that already satisfactory debate had been held on it.

It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution of condolence reference of tragic death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

The session was adjourned for indefinite period of time on completion of today's agenda.