On Wednesday, the Punjabi government gave assurances that the freedom of speech would not be negatively impacted by the planned defamation law.
At a press conference in Lahore, Punjab’s Minister for Information Azma Bokhari declared, “Professional journalists will not be bothered by this act.”
“Only those journalists who fabricate news while sitting in their homes will have an issue [with this legislation],” said the minister.
Her comments follow the administration of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s introduction of new anti-defamation law in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The measure has encountered opposition from a number of social groups, including journalists.
President of the Lahore Press Club Arshad Ansari is one of these voices, according to The News, and he described the action as an attempt by the government to silence dissenting opinions.
