Imran’s ‘controversial’ tweet: IHC bars FIA from taking any adverse action against PTI leaders

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from harassing or taking adverse action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and the party’s Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan in the controversial tweet case.

The IHC directed both the PTI leaders to appear before the probe agency and ordered the FIA not to “harass or take disciplinary action” against them.

The leaders of Imran Khan-founded party have also been directed to record their statements before the FIA. The written order was issued by IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, following the petitions against the FIA’s call-up notices. Subsequently, the high court served a notice to the federal agency and sought a response by June 25.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Central Spokesman Raoof Hasan joined the inquiry and recorded their statements while Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said that he would submit his written statement through his lawyer, FIA sources said.

Cybercrime Circle had summoned the three leaders of PTI to record their statements on uploading a contentious post by PTI founder on his X account.

The FIA Cybercrime Circle investigated PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan for four hours and Barrister Gohar for two hours.

The investigation team also gave them a questionnaire containing questions about the X handle, the person granting permission for uploading content and the reasons behind retaining the controversial post. According to sources, the two leaders submitted their answers to the questionnaire separately and recorded their statements afterwards.

The PTI leaders also assured FIA officials of their appearance if they were summoned again.

Earlier Wednesday, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan excused himself from appearing before the FIA, informing the federal agency that he could not appear before the body as he was “busy”. Ayub, in the response sent through his legal team, termed the show-cause notice “defamatory” and said that “unlawful questions” were asked “without referring to any specific query”.

At present, the response said, Ayub is busy with the pre-budget consultative process as well as appearing in dozens of “false” cases of terrorism registered against him in many areas of the country. Ayub, providing reasons for his non-appearance, asked the agency to provide a copy of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report to him and give reasonable time and warned the FIA that he would lodge cases in courts as well as raise the issue in parliament.