Governor’s delay helps defamation bill to convert it into law

PPP condemns acting governor’s assent to the bill

LAHORE:

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) attempts to distance itself from the defamation bill that received assent from the acting governor after Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, who had been abroad since earlier this week, delayed its approval for over ten days, either advertently or due to a lack of legal knowledge, thereby paving the way for the bill to become a law.

The controversial defamation bill was passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 20 and later landed at the governor’s office. 

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider did not approve of the content of this bill and cited a lack of proper deliberation on the issue as a matter of grave concern.

While talking to The Express Tribune, the governor had stated that he would seek permission from the party leadership before returning it to the assembly. 

He said that his decision would align with the PPP’s policy. His party’s provincial leadership was bitterly critical of the bill, and termed it a draconian move to suppress the freedom of media. 

The open criticism of the bill and PPP's claims of their absence during the voting of the bill led many to assume that the Punjab governor would return it to the assembly for reconsideration.

Contrary to the PPP's public position, the Punjab governor continued to delay action on the bill for over ten days, opting not to return it.

Earlier this week, the governor left for Dubai, and under Article 104 of the Constitution, the charge of his office landed with Provincial Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. 

After assuming charge, Khan gave assent to the bill, effectively converting it into a law.

Under Article 116 of the Constitution, the Punjab governor only had 10 days to give his assent to the bill or send it back, which meant that if the governor had any intention of returning it to the assembly, he would have done so within the stipulated time period.

However, this did not deter his party from claiming that PPP was still against the bill, despite giving their coalition partner an open field.

This was not the first time the PPP adopted a hypocritically confused stance on national issues. Previously, during the constitutional matter of holding elections within 90 days, PPP publicly advocated for timely polls but, during the Council of Common Interests meeting, it sided with parties pushing for an unconstitutional delay of general elections under the pretext of fresh census.   

PPP Central Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza, reacting to the passage of the Defamation Bill 2024, said that it has been approved in haste and that its consequences would be detrimental. He believed it would have been better to take all the stakeholders on board before passing the bill. PPP considers the defamation bill a restriction on journalism and freedom of expression, he said. 

Murtaza accused the acting Punjab governor of taking undue advantage of the situation. 

It seems that the PML-N waited for the departure of Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider from the country, Murtaza said, adding that PPP has been expressing its reservations on the bill since day one. “Despite the worst media trial of the party leadership, PPP never targeted journalism.”

Murtaza noted that the defamation bill garnered immense criticism, particularly from journalists and digital rights activists. 

The bill received its final approval from Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, who currently holds the position of acting governor in the absence of Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider.

PPP Central Punjab Information Secretary Shahzad Saeed Cheema, in a press statement issued by the party, reiterated that his party’s stance on the defamation bill was clear and unwavering. He emphasized that questioning anyone's intentions regarding the approval of the bill is unjustifiable.

In a statement, Cheema asserted that undermining freedom of expression with allegations was not their style.
He stressed that blaming the Punjab governor for this issue is equivalent to defamation and slander, as Haider’s overseas trip was already planned. Linking his personal activities to the approval of the defamation bill is malicious, Cheema said.

A PPP leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the party would seek answers from the Punjab governor as to why he delayed action on the bill.

He said that the PPP had wanted the bill to be returned with suggestions, expecting the Punjab governor to engage with all stakeholders to seek their input point by point.

He said that this only reflects his lack of legal knowledge, as there was no malice on his part.