ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the opposition parties joined journalists in the protest outside the parliament house to stand in solidarity against Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), bill.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Mian Shehbaz Sharif said that we have just staged a full scale protest in the Parliament against media bill. He assured journalists to stand with them in struggle for the freedom of media in the country.

Shehbaz warned the government against passing the “black law” otherwise it would have to bear the consequences.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, also visited the protest site.

Addressing the protesters, Iqbal lambasted the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government for “attacking and attempting to muzzle” the media.

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the occasion speaking to journalists said that this is not the first time the journalists are protesting against a black law.

He said that journalists in the country had bravely fought against and defeated former president Pervez Musharraf in the past, and they would also put up a fight against the incumbent government.

Chief of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and Ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said that there is no independent journalism. "We stand together in the fight for the rights of journalists."