LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly presented “The Punjab Defamation Bill 2024” on Monday, suggesting fines and the suspension or blocking of social media accounts for those found guilty of spreading defamatory content.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman introduced the bill, which was then referred to the relevant committee by Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan.
The bill aims to provide legal protection against false, misleading, and defamatory claims made through print, electronic, and social media against both public officials and private citizens.
According to the proposed bill, if defamation is proven, the tribunal may order the defendant to issue an unconditional apology, if accepted by the claimant, and publish it with the same prominence as the defamatory statement. The defendant may also be required to pay damages.
Furthermore, the tribunal, if defamation is proven, may direct the relevant regulatory authority to suspend or block the defendant’s social media account or any other platform through which the defamatory content was disseminated.
The bill suggests the establishment of tribunals by the government to handle defamation cases. Members of these tribunals will be appointed in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court and must meet certain qualifications.
The tribunal is expected to decide cases within 180 days from the defendant’s first appearance. It may also offer pre-trial settlement opportunities through mediation at accredited Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centers.
Additionally, the tribunal may award costs, including legal fees and expenses incurred during the litigation process, based on sufficient and justifiable reasons.
In cases of defamation related to gender-sensitive or minority community issues, the tribunal may consider requests for in-camera proceedings based on the merits of each case.
