Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Standing Committee on Information on Thursday sought details about the arrest a Quetta-based journalist, Zafarullah Achakzai, under the Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. Earlier, the government had said that Achakzai had been arrested on June 28 and had obtained bail on July 6, 2017.

Senator Farhatullah Babar pointed out that the reply was inadequate and raised more questions and demanded to know specific charges brought against the journalist. The principal information officer said that his tentative inquiries had revealed that Achakzai was arrested by FIA on the complaint of a security institution for alleged involvement in activities that went against the integrity of the federation. Senator Farhatullah Babar expressed dissatisfaction over the reply and demanded to know more details. He said that the recently passed Right to Information legislation had struck a balance between considerations of national security and the right of public to know and every post on social media piece could not be declared an issue of national security. “It is important to know the details. No one is allowed to breach national security. Security institutions also are not allowed to stifle dissent and alternate opinions behind the facade of national security,” he said. Babar said that it was mandatory under the Electronic Crimes Act that the FIA submitted six-monthly reports to the Parliament. “The FIA be asked to provide complete information with respect to arrest and bail of the journalist. Media reports had called for fully investigate the matter.

Published in Daily Times, October 13^th 2017.