Pakistan's journalists battle 'anti-democratic' media law in Imran Khan's PTI-run Punjab

The journalist fraternity in Pakistan has come out in protest against the bill passed by Punjab's provincial assembly against the freedom of the press. According to a report by Pakistan-based publication Dawn, various journalist organisations have decided to organise a rally outside the Governor's House in the Punjab province on Friday to raise their voice against the the bill, by calling it 'anti-democratic'. The provincial government of Pakistan's Punjab is run by PM Imran Khan's PTI party.

The report states that the bill was passed without being circulated among the press members and is supported by all the government and opposition parties. The Punjab Union of Journalists, Lahore Press Club, Punjab Assembly Press Gallery Committee, Electronic Media Reporters Association, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the South Punjab Journalists Association have opposed the passing of the bill

How will the 'anti-democratic' media law affect Pakistan's journalists? 

The bill will give authority to the Speaker to form a judicial committee to act if a complaint is made by a member. The body will grant power to arrest the journalist without warrant and hand him up to six months jail term and a fine up to PKR 10,000 for breach of any privilege mentioned in a schedule inserted into the Privileges Act II of 1972.

(A read-out of the law in question from a Government of Pakistan website)

The Dawn report states that "The schedule includes ‘offences’ like willfully misrepresenting any speech made by a member before the assembly or any committee, publishing any report or any debate or proceedings prohibited or expunged by the chair, publishing any reflection upon the conduct of the chair or any imputation of partiality against him, publishing any proceedings or report of any committee before these are reported to the assembly or published in the official gazette, etc".

Imran Khan government's bans on social media

Before the latest attack on the Pakistani press, the Imran Khan government in May this year, had imposed a day-long ban on social media following the protests from supporters of Islamist terror outfit Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed back then had announced the government’s decision to ban TLP, in an attempt to stop the demonstrations that demanded the expulsion of the French Ambassador and French products in the country. 

The violence, however, escalated after the arrest of Islamist party leader Saad Hussain Rizvi with scores of protestors swarming the streets across all major cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi. Visuals of the protests had done rounds on social media with users likening the situation to a ‘war’ within Pakistan.

Pakistan has a sketchy history of banning various social media and internet platforms. A ban on YouTube was removed after three years in 2016, while recently, popular dating apps also faced the regulators' ire for a variety of regressive reasons. Apart from these, various news and television media formats, including films and TV shows made in India have faced crackdowns, despite being overwhelmingly popular in the country.  

(Image: AP)