Daily Times

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa Monday lamented that the Supreme Court’s name was used to launch action against vlogger Asad Toor, highlighting the discrepancies in the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

“The inquiry notice [sent to Asad Toor] stated that he is being summoned in an inquiry related to an anti-judiciary campaign whereas the FIR didn’t even mention as such,” the CJP Isa said.

The top judge’s remarks came during a hearing of a suo motu case, being heard by a three-member SC bench comprising the CJP, Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali, pertaining to the harassment of journalists over FIA’s summons as part of the Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) probe into the anti-judiciary campaign.

It is pertinent to know that on January 17, the then-caretaker government formed a JIT to ascertain the facts behind a malicious social media campaign against the SC judges after the apex court gave a verdict on the election symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The court, however, had then taken notice of the FIA’s summons, sent to various journalists, and barred the agency from taking action against people over their criticism directed towards the apex court.

The FIA, however, arrested Toor in connection to the smear campaign against the SC and the CJP on February 26 and the journalist is currently in the agency’s custody.