On February 16, the Sindh Assembly was informed that the province required an authority with powers to take immediate action against any channel or individual found spreading fake news, as lawmakers also debated recent protests and allegations of police excesses. Senior Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said a mechanism was needed to monitor, investigate and penalise those disseminating misinformation, while opposition members raised concerns over the handling of demonstrations in Karachi.

Responding to written and verbal questions during the session presided over by Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah, the minister said fake news was a major issue and that individuals and their families were being harmed by it. He stated that a defamation law already existed, but he could not recall anyone being punished under it.

He proposed that a resolution on fake news be introduced in the assembly and that a parliamentary committee be formed to prepare recommendations for legislation and implementation. Memon said stricter defamation laws were needed and emphasised that it was the assembly’s responsibility to legislate on such matters, adding that the government was not against freedom of expression but against fake news.

The minister noted that complaints regarding fake news could be filed with the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency and that the federal government had enacted the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). He said the province should have its own authority to take direct action if any channel or individual spreads false information, and that the proposed parliamentary committee should examine related issues and propose solutions.

On media funding, he said there was no mechanism for direct financial assistance to newspapers. The government monitored circulation figures and issued advertisements accordingly, with priority given to daily newspapers. He said ABC certification by the federal government was mandatory and advertisement rates were fixed federally.

Memon added that he had offered the All Pakistan Newspapers Society the responsibility to distribute advertisements independently, but had received no substantial response despite written communication. He also informed the House that the government had begun extending advertisements to digital media outlets and provided grants to press clubs and journalist bodies, which then disbursed funds to journalists, including medical assistance, without discrimination.