LAHORE: The contentious defamation law was bound to pass, according to Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, because bills take into effect automatically 15 days after they are submitted to the governor, even if they are not ratified.
“The Defamation Bill was not signed by me. But after 15 days, it was meant to pass on its own,” he said to a UAE-based private TV network.
The Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 was supposed to be signed by PPP member Mr. Haider, but his departure made it possible for Malik Ahmad Khan, the leader of the PML-N and speaker of the Punjab Assembly, to act as acting governor and fulfill the formalities.
The governor said that the bill was opposed by his party and that he attempted to prevent the bill from becoming law while he was in the nation.
