Islamabad, Sept 03: Condemning the introduction of code of ethics for the country's media, Pakistan Bar Council has said there was no need for promulgation of the defamation ordinance as it would affect the freedom of the press.
"Since the remedy with regard to criminal liability was
available under Sections 499 and 500 of Pakistan Penal Code,
there was no need of promulgation of the proposed ordinance as
it would amount to multifarious mess of laws and would also
have the effect of curtailing the independence and freedom of
press," PBC's legal reforms committee said after examining the
draft law referred to it by the government for comments.
According to three ordinances, approved by the Pakistan cabinet on August 31 to regulate the functioning of the press, journalists will be proceeded against libel and slander in a court of law for defamation and if found guilty would have to
pay a minimum of Rs 50,000 for publishing defamatory material
and undergo simple imprisonment for three months if they fail
to pay it.
While approving the new laws, the Pakistan government
claimed that the draft of these laws related to press were
approved in consultation with the all Pakistan newspaper
society, bar councils, Council for Islamic Ideology, law
ministry and Shariat court.
The PBC also condemned yesterday the legal framework order by President Pervez Musharraf amending Pakistan's Constitution saying it was aimed at "perpetuation of
dictatorial rule," local daily dawn reported.
It said the committee was of the considered view that the military government had no right to amend the constitution, even on the pretext of having been empowered by the Supreme Court to do so.
Bureau Report
