LAHORE: Terming the defamation law as need of the hour, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz wondered how one could oppose the initiative amid an unchecked trend of levelling baseless accusations against others.
Expressed serious concerns over a recent mob lynching in Swat and other incidents, the CM assured not to allow anyone to take law into their own hands. Citing the trend of mob justice where people within minutes assemble and don’t hesitate killing others without checking the facts, the CM warned that the practice would endanger the lives of everyone and said there was an urgent need to stop this practice.
While addressing the Ittehad Bain-ul-Muslimeen meeting, she cited the misuse of mainstream and social media as the reason for introducing the Punjab Defamation Act. She said she was unable to understand those opposing the legislation, meaning that they were against the law but won’t stop defaming others. “No one should experience politically-motivated character assassination,” she said, adding: “The issue would be settled in case of providing a proof to substantiate an allegation. One would be punished if the purpose of hurling accusation is just to blame the other.”
The CM cited the situation faced by the Sharif family for settling political score in 2018 as an example and narrated how a political party used some individuals for the purpose. With hate speech and extremism in mind, she justified action against the social media accounts promoting sectarianism as a prerequisite for curbing the alarming developments.
She said issuing a fatwa indiscriminately is itself a crime which must be controlled. She mentioned two examples to prove her point. She said a person was arrested for sexual assault on a child studying at a madrassa, but she had been facing an ending series of ‘fatwas’ since that day.
She also reminded the gathering about a person who is running a campaign against sending girls to school – a reference to the video circulating on social media in which he claims that educating them is the reason behind vulgarity and that they should kept indoors. She further said that everyone is concerned about an incident like Swat and those who disgrace religion are the biggest criminals.
The scholars of all schools of thought, academic and religious figures participated in the meeting.
She said that comprehensive planning has to be made to prevent desecration of holy books. Whatever it is, we should not allow the law to be taken into our own hands and issue fatwas, she said.
Maryam Nawaz disclosed that more than 50000 social media accounts and pages have been blocked by the Punjab government. The security and safety of the Majalis is the responsibility of the Punjab government, she said, adding: “The Punjab government will also join you in distributing food on the route of the procession.”