
Law & order during Muharram: CM directs action against dissemination of fake news
A new system has been implemented and a special Control Room has been established in this regard.
The CM directed to launch strict legal action against the dissemination of fake news on the social media during Muharram-ul-Haram.
On the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, tracing of people who are involved in disseminating controversial contents on the social media accounts has been launched and a strict legal action is being taken. Dozens of controversial social media accounts have been blocked across Punjab on the report of the Special Branch.
On the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a Cyber Patrol Unit will perform its duties for the first time in the province during Ashura.
A special portal of PITB has also been activated for monitoring and reporting objectionable social media contents.
The special cell will monitor 24/7 social media contents pertaining to religious hatred and sectarianism.
After reporting controversial content on the portal, the account is blocked and the whereabouts of the account holder is traced. The Chief Minister directed to initiate special measures to ensure a complete ban on the promotion and publication of contents based on religious hatred and speeches. She also directed to ensure a complete ban on the usage of drone cameras under any circumstance.
She directed to carry out the deployment of a Quick Response Force to ensure complete security of Muharram processions and gatherings. Iron pipes will be installed on all sides for security purposes during the Muharram processions. Special cameras will be installed at the entrance gate of every procession during the Ashura so that the visitors can be identified by their faces.
The CM directed to deploy female police officers and personnel for the security of female mourners in the gatherings and processions. She highlighted, 'The Karbala incident imparts us a lesson to adopt peace and tolerance. All possible steps will be taken to ensure peace and order during the Ashura.' She asserted, 'In the context of the current global situation, the holy month of Muharram is extremely sensitive and there is absolutely no room for committing negligence by the relevant stakeholders in the performance of their duties.'
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Punjab speaker moves to disqualify 26 MPAs
Listen to article The Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan on Thursday filed a disqualification reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against 26 opposition members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) for "disparaging the sanctity of the house". The MPAs against whom the reference was sent to the electoral supervisor belong to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). Talking to media, the speaker confirmed the development, saying that those, who violated the sanctity of the house, would not be spared. "The matter is with the ECP, which may disqualify such members," he added. Malik Ahmed Khan said that it was not a democratic norm to resort to misconduct, use abusive language and resort to violence in parliament. "It is anti-democracy attitude". He said the Article 63 of the Constitution clearly defines the criteria for disqualification, and emphasised that every member of parliament takes oath to safeguard the Constitution. He vowed to fight the case for the protection of the Constitution. "It is my duty to maintain order in the house," said the Punjab Assembly speaker. "I am showing patience for more than one and a half years. I have to justify my role as the speaker," Malik Ahmed Khan stated. Earlier, the speaker directed a legal team to prepare a draft reference for consultation, before potentially submitting it to the ECP for the de-seating of 26 suspended SIC MPAs over their alleged disruptive, abusive and disorderly conduct in the house. The directive came during a meeting between the speaker and the legal experts after an initial determination that a reference could be filed based on the applications submitted by PML-N lawmakers, who urged the Speaker's Office to take action against the suspended members. On June 27, the situation in the Punjab Assembly aggravated as the opposition's noisy protest disrupted proceedings during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's addresses. Their conduct appeared even more aggressive, reportedly in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on reserved seats. The protest quickly escalated into scuffles between treasury and opposition lawmakers. Despite Speaker Khan's repeated efforts to control the situation, order could not be restored. Consequently, on the same day, the speaker suspended 26 opposition lawmakers, invoking Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab (1997). On June 28, the speaker, directed that Rs2,035,000 in damages be recovered from 10 PTI MPAs – approximately Rs203,550 each – for climbing onto desks and breaking eight microphones during their protest on June 16, when the provincial budget was being presented. It is worth noting that protest has historically been a recognised feature of parliamentary proceedings. Opposition lawmakers are often seen engaging in fiery exchanges, desk-thumping, slogan-chanting, tearing up agenda papers or budget documents and holding placards aloft.


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Allies, experts find loopholes
Listen to article Government allies as well as legal and political experts have termed the intent to move a reference against PTI/SIC MPAs for their disorderly conduct during a session by the Punjab Assembly speaker devoid of any logic and a measure too extreme. The filing of the reference before the ECP, though widely reported by the local media, could not be independently verified. It was reported that the speaker had filed a reference against 26 suspended MPAs of the Punjab Assembly before the ECP, and according to some media outlets, the provisions cited in the reference were Articles 14 and 210 of the Punjab Assembly Rules of Procedure, 1997. However, a plain reading of these articles makes it abundantly clear that they do not permit a reference for disqualification in any way. All legal and constitutional experts contacted by The Express Tribune concurred with this opinion and further noted that there is no provision under the rules that authorises the speaker to move a disqualification reference. The confusion was compounded by Speaker Malik Muhammad Khan who, while leaving the ECP office, when first asked by the media whether he had filed the reference answered in the negative (meaning no reference was filed). However, when the media sought clarification on whether the reference had actually been filed, he replied that "it was already there" — an ambiguous answer that left matters unresolved. Nonetheless, his tone and demeanor made one thing abundantly clear: the speaker was a man on a mission. The speaker elaborated that he had submitted to the ECP details regarding the conduct of those who violated their oath under the Constitution, asking, "How should they be dealt with?" He said that those who had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and then breached it themselves raised serious questions about their integrity and credibility. He also spoke about the Constitution, which grants the assembly the right to formulate its own rules. He questioned where in these rules it is permitted for anyone in the house to grab another member by the collar, use foul language, vandalise assembly property or attack people. At the end of his media talk, he reiterated that those who violate their oath cannot be allowed to remain part of the assembly. Those familiar with the matter say that the MPAs brought this upon themselves by going up against the "mighty" Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who is seen as the PML-N's red line. These individuals say that the scenes witnessed that day were not unprecedented in the assembly; the only difference, they claim, was the presence of Maryam Nawaz. The move even drew criticism from government allies, who described it as a sad day for democracy and an overt attempt to eliminate opposition from the assembly. Former justice Wajihuddin Ahmed, while speaking to The Express Tribune, said that the speaker neither has the right nor the authority to seek the disqualification of any member of parliament merely for disorderly conduct. He said that if such a power were granted to the speaker, it would allow him to eliminate opposition from the assembly on one pretext or another. He further explained that a provincial assembly cannot even frame rules to this effect under the Constitution, as matters of qualification and disqualification are clearly defined in the Constitution and can only be changed through a constitutional amendment. "The pre-condition given in the Constitution and the Election Act does not apply in this scenario of seeking disqualification. One fails to see the logic behind this move." Former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Abid Zuberi said that while the speaker's move might lack legal standing, the ECP still has the capacity to take a lenient view and accommodate the speaker's wishes. He said law and rules have taken a back seat in the country and anything and everything is possible. He said if one speaks strictly within the framework of existing law, the short answer is that "the speaker does not have the authority". SCBA President Mian Rauf Atta, speaking to The Express Tribune, said that the law permits only suspension, not disqualification. He said that instead of taking such positions, the speaker should show magnanimity and embrace the opposition with open arms. He noted that the opposition is there to do its job, i.e., oppose the government; and the government should not be too concerned with their protestation. Atta, however, said that the opposition should also remain within respectful limits. He added that the speaker's move would further deepen the divide between the two benches in the house and ultimately diminish his own stature. "Nothing that happened in the Punjab Assembly that day attracts disqualification" he said and added hopefully, the ECP will not entertain this request. PILDAT President Ahmad Bilal Mehboob also agreed, saying that in his view, there was no ground for disqualification. However, he said that decorum must be maintained in the assembly at all costs by the speaker if the house is to function effectively. He said that while the punitive actions taken against the MPAs were indeed justified, it was difficult to make sense of this move at this juncture given the limited information available to him. "The move seems a bit too excessive," he added. He said that nothing has been committed that would warrant disqualification. The PPP and IPP have both opposed the reference, terming it a move in bad taste. PPP's Hasan Murtaza said that the speaker should have abstained from taking such an "extreme step." "Suspension and a fine make sense; moving a reference does not," he added. When asked about media reports suggesting that this harsh move was meant to teach a lesson to those who crossed the PML-N's red line, he said that it seems the PML-N is now hurt because they are getting a taste of their own medicine. He questioned how they could forget the pejorative epithets, slurs, foul language and propaganda campaigns they once ran against their slain leader Benazir Bhutto. He added that every woman — whether in parliament or elsewhere — should be considered a red line, not just Maryam Nawaz. He emphasized that this was no way to deal with political dissent. IPP leader Raja Yawar also disagreed with the speaker's decision to move the reference, calling it a step too far. He said that the speaker is otherwise a reasonable man, but "God knows what pressure he is under." He added that this move would only diminish the speaker's stature and predicted that the reference would soon end up in the bin.


Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Azma calls for strict enforcement of Muharram SOPs
LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has directed that strict compliance with the Punjab government's Muharram SOPs must be ensured. She emphasized that no changes should be made to traditional procession routes. Adequate lighting, water sprinkling, and CCTV coverage along the routes must be ensured without exception, she said. She urged scholars from all schools of thought to promote patience, tolerance, and interfaith harmony. She also warned of immediate and strict action against those spreading religious hatred on social media. On the special directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Information Minister visited Jhang to review the arrangements for the month of Muharram. During the visit, the minister chaired a high-level meeting with district administration, law enforcement agencies and members of the peace committee. Deputy Commissioner Ali Akbar Bhindar and DPO Captain Bilal Iftikhar Kayani (R) gave a detailed briefing on the security arrangements, procession routes and facilities during Muharram. The meeting was also attended by Commissioner Faisalabad Maryam Khan, RPO Zeeshan Asghar, MPA Colonel Ghazanfar Abbas Qureshi (R), former assembly members Muhammad Aslam Bharwana, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Faisal Hayat Jabboana, Khalid Ghani, Sahibzada Maulana Muhammad Asif Muawiya, Ameer Abbas Sial, along with district peace committee members and Majalis organizers. MPA Colonel Ghazanfar Abbas Qureshi (R) stated that all religious sects are united for peace and are working together to maintain harmony in the district. Later, the minister visited the Safe City Authority Control Room where she was briefed on the real-time CCTV monitoring of the 6th Muharram processions. The Deputy Commissioner informed her that all main procession routes are being continuously monitored through surveillance cameras. Azma Bokhari also inspected Sabeel points across Jhang city, reviewing cleanliness, water availability, and the performance of Food Authority teams. She instructed the concerned departments to ensure that there is no compromise on cleanliness and water quality at these Sabeel stations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025