Lahore: Punjab Governor Saleem Haider said that Pakistan Peoples’ Party is against controversial defamation law passed by provincial legislature earlier this month.

“I tried to stop [passage] of defamation bill as Governor,” he said while speaking to media in Dubai. His statement comes day after interim Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan signed bill into law in absence of Haider.Punjab Assembly, on May 20, passed Punjab Defamation Bill, 2024 amid strong and noisy protest by opposition as well as immense backlash from journalists and rights bodies including those based internationally.“I did not sign bill.

However, it will become law automatically after passing of 15 days,” incumbent Governor added.However, according to him, legislation is required to stop defamation of people on social media.Governor Haider said that he would meet Joint Action Committee of media bodies to address their concerns after returning to country.Day earlier, central Joint Action Committee of media bodies announced boycotting coverage of government affairs including official events, such as National Assembly and provincial assembly sessions and upcoming federal and provincial budgets to protest approval of defamation law Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors held an emergency meeting to discuss development and decided to record their protest against law.