In a proactive move to combat what it deems as false and misleading news, the Punjab government is gearing up to enact the Defamation Law.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the proposed legislation aims to safeguard individuals and institutions from reputational harm caused by the dissemination of false and misleading information.
The scope of the law is set to encompass false and untrue news propagated through various mediums including print, electronic, and social media. If enacted, it would replace the Defamation Ordinance of 2002.
The bill has been introduced in the provincial assembly and has now been referred to the relevant standing committee for further deliberation. It is anticipated to be reintroduced in the Punjab Assembly for final approval in the coming days.
Insiders suggest that once passed by the Punjab Assembly, the law will swiftly come into effect.
In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently greenlit a draft amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, aimed at regulating social media activities.
Under the proposed amendments, the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Agency (DRPA) has been sanctioned. This new PECA Bill is slated for presentation in Parliament following Cabinet approval.
Sources indicate that the Law Reforms Committee of the Cabinet has endorsed the establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) to address emerging digital threats, as outlined in a document from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
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