Punjab Defamation Act, 2024

About this law

What the law is

The Punjab Defamation Act, 2024 is a provincial law that governs defamation claims in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province. It replaced the Defamation Ordinance, 2002 in the province and treats defamation as a civil wrong: a person who says they have been defamed can sue "without proof of actual damage or loss". The Act defines "broadcasting" broadly enough to include social media platforms and websites, so it reaches not only newspapers and television channels but also YouTubers, TikTokers and ordinary users of Facebook, X and WhatsApp.

Claims go to special Defamation Tribunals, appointed by the Punjab government in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, which must decide each case within 180 days. If a defendant does not obtain leave to defend at the start, the tribunal can issue a preliminary decree. General damages start at Rs3 million, and punitive damages can be several times higher. A tribunal can also order an unconditional apology or direct that a social media account or website be suspended or blocked. Claims by holders of constitutional offices, such as the prime minister, judges and the army chief, follow a separate procedure before the High Court.

History

The Punjab Assembly passed the bill on 20 May 2024 amid protests by the opposition and journalists. Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was abroad, and the acting governor, Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan of the PML-N, signed it into law in early June 2024.

Journalists and press bodies challenged the Act in the Lahore High Court within hours. On 11 June 2024 Justice Amjad Rafique ruled that any action taken under sections 3, 5 and 8 would be subject to the court's final decision on the petitions, and the Punjab government defended the law as constitutional.

How it is used today

For online speech in Punjab, the Act's main effect is financial. A single post, video or comment alleging wrongdoing by a politician, official or business owner can lead to a claim for millions of rupees decided on a fast timetable, and the Committee to Protect Journalists has noted that the law also bars commenting on pending proceedings, which the digital rights advocate Farieha Aziz called a "gag order". Because the government that appoints the tribunals also includes likely complainants, critics see a conflict of interest. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for repeal.

The tribunals are now in use. In October 2026 the Lahore Defamation Tribunal ordered the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Moeen Qureshi, to pay Rs3 million to Information Minister Azma Bokhari over claims he made on a television programme, in a suit she filed in January 2026. Because the Act is civil, it does not replace criminal charges: the same post can still be prosecuted under PECA's section 20.