No Pakistani can be declared traitor: IHC

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Friday remarked that no Pakistani citizen can be declared a traitor and issued notices to the interior secretary, the information secretary, the FIA DG, the Pemra chairperson and the Islamabad IGP.

Justice Minallah was hearing a case on journalist Fakhar Durrani, who is affiliated with The News, being called a traitor and his alleged harassment by some elements. The court ruled that government institutions should stop harassing the journalist.

During the hearing, lawyer Imran Shafiq, who was representing the journalist, said his client has been accused of being a traitor and having ties with Indian intelligence agency RAW. To this, justice Minallah asked what charges have been framed against him.

The petitioner’s lawyer replied that there are no formal charges but his name is being associated with a former officer of the Indian Army. These are all baseless allegations, but they have put in danger the lives of the journalist and members of his family, he said. He also has no links with the data registered with the SECP, the lawyer said, adding that his client had written a story on the dual citizenship of Federal Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda and that had irked the minister.