- Tells court notices to be issued again after polls in ‘malicious social media’ campaign case
- Three judges bench hearing plea against JIT notices to journalists
ISLAMABAD: Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that no action would be taken against journalists, who were issued notices over their alleged involvement in the smear campaign against judges, till the general elections slated for February 8.
The development came during the hearing of a suo motu case which was taken up along with an old case heard in 2021 about the harassment of journalists.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali hearing the case.
On January 17, the caretaker government constituted a five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate into a “malicious social media” campaign against judges of the Supreme Court following the verdict on election symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The JIT, constituted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, consists of officials from police, FIA and intelligence agencies.
The FIA compiled a list titled: “JIT-SM campaign against CJP and State Institutions” carrying names of 47 media persons and YouTubers.
The FIA also issued notices to these media persons and YouTubers to appear before the JIT and explain their point of views.
Yesterday, Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, during hearing, remarked that the Supreme Court cannot stop any journalist or even the general public from expressing criticism. He also stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from take legal action against them for criticising the court.
The AGP, during the hearing on Tuesday, told the top court that the notices will be issued again after the elections.
AGP Awan and the Press Association of Supreme Court’s officials appeared before the court.
At the outset of the hearing, CJP Isa asked if any petition was filed today. To this, the press association’s president said that the plea could not be filed as the FIA did not provide a list.
