Senior journalists filed a challenge against the contentious Punjab Defamation Act, 2024, in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday. The law was enacted by the provincial parliament in May of this year, amidst vocal resistance and criticism from the media community.
The petitioners asked the judge to deem the Act “void ab initio” and without any bearing on the law.
The Punjab Defamation Bill, 2024 was passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 20, despite a loud and forceful protest by the opposition on the assembly floor. In the meanwhile, the measure faced strong opposition from international human rights organizations as well as journalists.
Through their attorney Asad Jamal, two top journalists have filed the petition. The petition will be heard by Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq’s court tomorrow, July 4.
“The controversial Punjab Act is repugnant to the Defamation Ordinance 2002 which has been provided protection under Article 270AA under the 18th Amendment to the constitution,” stated the appeal.
“The Punjab province does not have the legislative competence to enact a law to regulate any aspect of broadcasting through various electronic and digital media including those based on technologies like telegraphs and telephones as well as wireless media and broadcasting and similar other modes of communication.”
The petitioners’ primary argument against the Act is that it violates Article 70 of the Constitution because the Punjab Defamation Act 2024’s primary issue is speech or communication via electronic and digital media, which is outside the purview of provincial legislatures.
