The government has decided to pursue a law against absconders and convicts to prevent media organisations to provide them any coverage. This law, despite the lack of specificity by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, is being pursued with regards to the coverage that is offered to opposition leaders who are behind bars or under investigation and still appear on media and speak against the rulings of the court. While the government is correct in pointing out that absconders and convicts should not be given coverage, the people in question are those involved in the politics of the country. This means that they will have a lot to do with the policymaking, political developments, and engagement with the masses. The law in question needs to be framed in a manner that keeps in consideration all the aforementioned activities because a lack of coverage should not translate into a lack of update on what is happening in the political sphere.
The lack of updates would result in the audiences consuming a very skewed narrative of the developments in the country. The government can instead pursue a law that prevents convicts from addressing press conferences and giving interviews only after they are actually convicted. This should not prevent any news anchors or talkshow hosts to report any political developments or give an opinion regarding them. Any person who is under investigation should not be treated in a manner similar to someone who is actually convicted because even the law dictates that someone under investigation has the right to a fair trial and a fair opportunity to prove his innocence which would mean not taking away any media coverage. At the same time, the duration of such bans should also be decided, so they do not extend beyond the term served by them.
At the same time, the government should also cater to the criticism being offered at this new law being considered because many again see it as an attempt to sideline the opposition and not a law that caters to the larger public interest. The government needs to take the masses into confidence, explain the necessity behind the law, and then move forward with the decision. With both the government and the opposition taking extreme stances, the lack of cooperation lowers the chances of goal achievement within the polity.