A proposed bill to muzzle the print media has been abandoned and sanity prevailed in the corridors of parliament
LAHORE: A proposed bill to muzzle the print media has been abandoned and it is great to know that some sanity prevailed in the corridors of parliament. But why was such a bill drafted in the first place? And should we be thankful to PM Abbasi for its abandonment? Although there is no definite answer to these questions, it is clear that the authorities concerned are wary of the freedom — if one could even call it that — print media currently enjoys in the country.
In recent years, the print media has been effectively reporting on the burning issues in Pakistan and now perhaps the authorities fear it may have become an influencer in building the narrative for the country. Hence, it is no surprise that such a bill was drafted. However, the story of it being secretly drafted is rather absurd. It’s perhaps a sluggish attempt to escape all the backlash the bill has garnered. Once again, the PML-N is trying to fool the citizens with their poorly-drafted plot twists. And it’s time we ought to tell them that we are onto to them.
Salim Khalid
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2017.
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