We stand with the journalist community in their struggle to free media from oppression: Sirajul Haq

LAHORE, Feb 21 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami has rejected the amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Media Act (PECA) 2016, declaring it as fascist move of the government to curb the freedom of the media.

“The laws are draconian and we reject it. We stand with the journalist community in their struggle to free media from oppression,” said the JI Emir Sirajul Haq in a statement issued from Mansoorah on Monday.

Terming the social media defamation laws yet another move of the PTI government to silence the public criticism, Sirajul Haq said the democracy and democratic values were at stake under the incumbent set up.

It was unfortunate that the democracy could not strengthen in the country for decades, he said, adding the elected governments also acted like dictatorship, shrinking the space of freedom of expression in the society.

“The JI has always supported the responsible and free media,” he said, raising concerns over the government for using President House as ordinance-factory.

The parliament, he said, had lost its value under the PTI rule, adding the introduction of ordinances had become a norm in the country. 

The government, he said, wanted to corner the opposition and media and it was seriously dangerous for future of the country. 

He also expressed concern over the amendment in section 181 of the election act 2017, saying the elected representatives should not be entitled to launch electoral campaigns for the ruling party’s candidates. The government, he said, earlier introduced electronic voting machines without consensus of the political stakeholders and it was using all tactics to rig the future elections.

The JI, he said, will continue its struggle for the rights of the people and would not rest until the transformation of Pakistan into an Islamic welfare state in true sense. Sirajul Haq said the people of the country must stand for their rights and should choose the JI to bring real change.