Siraj flays proposed ban on social media

LAHORE : Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has condemned the proposed ban on social media, saying the PTI government wants to deprive the people of freedom of expression.

Devising a code of ethics to deal with criminals is necessary but putting a ban on the social media and resorting to harsh steps on comments showing difference of opinion was unacceptable, he said in a statement on Saturday.

He said various steps by the government against the print and electronic media had already rendered thousands of newsmen jobless. He said depriving the general public of their democratic right to criticise the government, protest and show dissent was a dictatorial approach.

Sirajul Haq said the laws of cybercrime control should not be misused. He said if the government itself did not follow the laws, it would be only self deception to expect from the general public to follow them.

He said if the masses demanded a ban on the tweets of the ministers, the government would not have any answer. He said freedom of media was a requirement of the democratic system.

Siraj also asked the journalists and their organisations to keep in mind the interest of the country as well as moral and social limitations. He said journalist organisations should by themselves frame a code of ethics for the media and abide by it. He said that violating moral limitations in the name of the freedom of the media was totally unjustified.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Dr Farid Ahmed Piracha, JI Naib ameer and president of Mansoora Hospital Governing Body, condemned the 30 per cent increase in the fees of the paramedical students by Punjab Health Department. He demanded withdrawal the increase in the fees.

He said the heavy increase in the fees of paramedical students in the province was a big burden on the students who mostly belonged to the low-income group. He urged the Punjab health minister to order withdrawal of the heavy increase in fees.