ISLAMABAD, Sept 5: The government is introducing laws to curb press freedom under the subterfuge of fulfilling the Asian Development Bank conditionalities for the release of a $50 million tranche.

A source told Dawn that the information ministry was introducing such laws, like the recent setting up of a press council, to regulate the media but at the same time it was opposing the promulgation of the freedom of information law. Interestingly, the freedom of information law is also one of the conditions for the release of the tranche.

The official, who is monitoring the implementation of the $350 m Access to Justice Programme, said the government was trying to build a case for release of next tranche without promulgating the freedom of information law.

The government may try to convince the ADB review mission that out of seven required legislative measures it had fulfilled more than 60 per cent and therefore, the bank should show flexibility. The review mission is due in the current month.

While negotiating the loan, the government had agreed that it would promulgate the freedom of information ordinance, defamation law, contempt of court law, small cause courts, provide powers to sessions judge to try habeas corpus petition, change the status of the law commission to make policy for judiciary and amend the Criminal Procedure Code, and police ordinance.

The government has so far promulgated the police ordinance, vested sessions judges with powers to entertain habeas corpus petitions, promulgated the law for the establishment of small cause courts (no court has so far been established), and amended the CPC to ensure quick servicing of the process. The information ministry, the source said, was sitting on the freedom of information ordinance which was drafted by the ADB under its “technical assistance” programme. Under the Access to Justice Programme, the law was the first condition to be met.