Asad Toor's arrest: CJP laments impression suggesting SC behind FIA's actions

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa Monday expressed dismay over the disparities in the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) First Information Report (FIR) resulting in the impression suggesting that the action against journalist and vlogger Asad Toor was taken at the judiciary's behest.

During a suo motu hearing 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, the CJP highlighted that the FIA's summon sent to Toor was regarding an anti-judiciary campaign.

However, the FIR registered against the journalist failed to even mention any smear campaign against the country's judiciary, the top judge noted.

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.

Today's proceedings

During the hearing today, Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed — who's representing the Press Association of the Supreme Court (PAS) and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA) — apprised the court that Toor is currently in jail.

"Why is he in jail?" the CJP questioned.

To this, the lawyer cited an FIR registered against the journalist and further urged the court to declare the government's notification regarding the constitution of the JIT as "null and void".

The chief justice then questioned the applicability and relevancy of the charges included in the FIR registered against Toor, including those pertaining to the "sensitive information".

Highlighting the discrepancies in the FIA's notice and the FIR against Toor, CJP Isa said: "Neither any SC judge nor the registrar had filed any complaint to the FIA".

"The officials of FIA are bringing disrepute to the judiciary," the chief justice observed while lamenting the prospects of the judiciary's image being tarnished before the public.

"Why shouldn't we send a notice to the FIA for contempt of court?" he questioned.

Additionally, the top judge also censured Inspector General Police (IGP) Islamabad for his failure to report any progress and apprehend culprits.

"[You] weren't able to trace the accused despite the [video] evidence? It's been four years, how much time do you need?

"The whole country is looking at your performance [...] Your behaviour indicates that you are in fact a facilitator," the CJP said while hinting at the top cop's dismissal as the police chief.