ISLAMABAD:As many as six individuals belonging to different cities on Tuesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the federal government to prepare and implement a specific code of conduct prohibiting defamation against state institutions.
The petition was filed by six individuals belonging to different cities under Article 184 (3) of the constitution, wherein the federal government, Pakistan Electronic and Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Election Commission of Pakistan were named as respondents.
The petition prayed the court to direct the incumbent government to review all existing laws regulating speech and take appropriate measures to prohibit institutional defamation.
It prayed to declare that unequal and disparate regulation of speech on various media platforms was discriminatory and violative of Articles 19 and 25 of the constitution.
It stated that by maligning state institutions not only their functions hindered but many fundamental rights of the ordinary citizens of Pakistan guaranteed under the constitution were adversely affected.