Govt decides to file a defamation suit against Wahjihuddin: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP):Federal Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Thursday that the government had decided to file a defamation suit against Wajihuddin Ahmed for his baseless claim about expenditures of Bani Gala residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that Article 9 of the Constitution gave the right of self-respect and dignity to every citizen but in Pakistan, this right was blatantly violated in both traditional and social media.nHe said that notices would also be issued to those media houses which telecast the baseless allegations of Justice Wajihuddin without any verification.
Dignity and honour of the Prime Minister of Pakistan was not safe what to speak of the common man, he said adding that the baseless propaganda was spread about the prime minister’s family life and Bani Gala house.
Fawad said the person who was favored by the prime minister and nominated as a presidential candidate attacked the prime minister through the claim that Jehangir Tareen bore the expenditure of Imran’s residence.
He said that Jahangir Tareen had proved to be a gentleman as he had already denied the allegations of Justice (retd) Wajihuddin.
The process of character assassination of the people should stop and Article 9 of the constitution must be implemented, the minister demanded. He said that the PM never burdened the national exchequer and saved the wealth of the nation. He said that campaigns were launched against national institutions by certain media houses to weaken the system. He said that no one was punished by the judiciary for involvement in character assassination of known personalities.
He said that way the personality of the PM was targeted was highly condemnable. He said that the PM had donated the plots allotted to him by the government after winning 1992 World Cup and defeating India on its home ground to Shaukat Khanam Trust.
The minister appealed to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and High Courts to play their role in the protection of the dignity and honour of the national institutions. He called for the constitution of division benches for proceedings on defamation cases.
Fawad Hussain said that the government had planned Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMDA) to ensure freedom of expression with responsibility. He said that its new draft had been prepared as per recommendations of the media bodies.
The minister said that the government wanted finalization of the PDMA act so that the character assassination of famous people should stop. He said that PTI government was trying to implement defamation-related laws already implemented in many countries.