Issue of multiple FIRs on one charge must be settled for good: IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday said it had to be settled once and for all if several FIRs could be registered across the country on one issue.

Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri made these remarks while hearing a case concerning the registration of FIRs against Secretary Information and Broadcasting Shahera Shahid, Managing Director PTV Sohail Ali Khan and others for airing the press conference of Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif.

The court suspended the terrorism FIR proceedings against secretary information, MD PTV and others and restrained all the provinces from taking any further action and directed that the registration of FIRs against the officials would be subject to the permission of high court, local media reported.

The court asked what was the fault of MD PTV if a federal minister held a talk on a TV channel. Justice Jahangiri asked whether an FIR would also be registered against the president of the bar council if someone held a talk in the bar.

The court observed that these people used to criticise and shout when cases were registered against Azam Swati but what they were doing on their side.

The court further noted that the FIR was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, as though they were the world’s top terrorists.

On the instruction of the bench, the petitioners’ counsel read out the contents of the FIR.

Additional Attorney General Munawar Dogal informed the court that the federal government had received the details of FIRs from the provinces except Punjab. He said the Federation had no control over the provincial police after the 18th Amendment.

Expressing annoyance, Justice Tariq Jahangiri asked how it was so, as the residents of the federal capital also had some rights.

A new trend of registration of FIRs across the country has been promoted, he remarked and asked if there was any law or procedure in the country.