LAHORE (National Times) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday described the recently-introduced defamation law as a need of the hour and wondered how one could oppose the initiative amid an unchecked trend of levelling baseless accusations against others.
She promised not to allow anyone to take law into their own hands, as she expressed serious concerns over a recent mob lynching in Swat and other similar incidents in the country.
Citing the trend of mob justice where people within minutes assemble and don’t hesitate killing the others without checking the facts, the chief minister warned that the practice would endanger the lives of everyone and said there was an urgent need to stop the practice.
Maryam, who was addressing an Ittehad Bain ul Muslimeen Conference, cited the misuse of mainstream and social media as the reason for introducing the Punjab Defamation Act
The chief minister said she was unable to understand those opposing the legislation, meaning that they were against the law but won’t stop defaming others.
She said no one should experience politically-motivated character assassination and added that 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 chief minister said, urging to provide evidence if any allegation is made.
The chief minister listed the practice as a disease which, she said, spread due to a complete absence of accountability.
Maryam cited the situation faced by the Sharif family for settling political score in 2018 as an example and narrated how a political party – as she avoided naming the PTI – 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.
Issuing a fatwa indiscriminately is itself a crime which must be controlled, Maryam said and 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.
The chief minister 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 the educating them is the reason behind vulgarity and that they should kept indoors.
Maryam said the religion of any person no more mattered after the confirmation of committing a crime.
