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CPNE, PTI Reject Punjab Bill Terming It a Gag on Press
CPNE and PTI slam Punjab’s proposed Public Awareness Bill 2025, calling it a tool for censorship and misuse of public funds for political gains.
ND
by News Desk
2025-06-14
CPNE, PTI Reject Punjab Bill Terming It a Gag on Press

The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have strongly opposed the proposed Punjab Public Awareness and Dissemination of Information Bill 2025, labelling it an unconstitutional attempt to suppress freedom of the press and prevent journalists from questioning those in power.

Speaking to Dawn, CPNE President Kazam Khan termed the bill a “legal cover-up” for excessive use of public funds for personal and political publicity. “This proposed law will allow those in power to exploit taxpayer money for political advertisements, including campaigns promoting unelected individuals,” he warned.

Mr Khan expressed serious concerns over the bill's implications on judicial proceedings and its contradiction with existing Supreme Court rulings. He criticised the complaint mechanism, where grievances would be first directed to the Director-General of Public Relations (DGPR) — the same authority responsible for approving advertisement campaigns.

“How can the DGPR, who approves these campaigns, be expected to impartially rule on complaints against his own decisions?” Mr Khan questioned. He also pointed out that appeals against such decisions would lie with the Punjab information secretary — another government-appointed official — calling it a “clear conflict of interest.”

“This is textbook censorship,” Mr Khan added. “The proposed law strips citizens of their right to question and creates a closed-loop system where government officials judge complaints against themselves.”

Another contentious aspect of the bill is its proposed retrospective implementation starting from January 1, 2024 — predating the formation of the current government and covering the caretaker government’s tenure. “It prohibits any inquiry into advertisement expenditures, effectively shielding the political elite from accountability,” he stressed.

The bill was introduced in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday by the provincial information minister and was swiftly referred to a standing committee with a one-month review timeline. However, Mr Khan revealed that the government intends to pass the bill into law as early as Monday, pushing it through the committee with undue haste.

According to the information minister, the bill was “completely legal” and “in the public interest,” sparking widespread concern among journalists, opposition parties, and civil society activists alike.

The CPNE and PTI have urged the government to reconsider the bill and hold broader consultations to ensure media freedom and transparency in the use of public funds.

 
Tagged:

MediaCensorship

PunjabBill2025

PressFreedomUnderAttack

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