- FIA summons SIC’s lawmaker for ‘campaigning against state authorities and inciting people’ on March 14
LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Saturday asked SIC’s lawmaker Shandana Gulzar to substantiate her allegations of orchestrating the killing of Zille Shah against Maryam Nawaz, warning the practice of levelling baseless allegations would not be allowed to go unchecked.
Azma Bokhari, who took oath as Punjab information minister earlier this week, told reporters on Saturday that Shandana would have to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and substantiate her claim.
Zille Shah, a PTI supporter whose original name was Ali Bilal, had died “under mysterious circumstances” last year after arrest by the police during the protests held outside the PTI founder’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
Initially the PTI blamed the police for the incident, but later the claim was unfounded as CCTV footage revealed that the vehicle hitting him belonged to a PTI leader after the police released him.
Shandana recently blamed Maryam Nawaz for his death and claimed that she had an audio recording to proof her stance – a statement which triggered an immediate reaction as Azma had promised legal action against her in a post shared on X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The FIA Cyber Crime Wing has issued a notice to Shandana and directed him to appear in person on March 14 on the charges of running an “highly intimidating campaign against state functionaries and creating violence in public and society through information system” [social media].
Waving a copy of the FIA notice, Azma said Shandana had been managing an anti-state campaign which must be checked – a reference to multiple statements issued by the SIC lawmaker which coincide with the spread of disinformation in an organised manner.
“You always come up with the chants of political victimisation whenever asked for evidence,” Azma said while describing the PTI members as “political vultures” and added that Shandana levelled an unfounded accusation against the Punjab chief minister.
Addressing the SIC member, Azma said she would not be allowed to play the “woman card” and “political card” and must have to appear before the FIA.
The PTI founder could not get a free pass to accuse anyone of anything according to his wishes, she said and remarked that the electoral success in 2018 was a “jackpot” for the PTI. They would be welcomed, [only] if they protested in a peaceful manner, Azma said, as Maryam had told a press conference some days back that she would not spare anyone creating law and order situation or damaging public property.
When asked about possible restrictions on social media, Azma said she was a great advocate of freedom of expression, but insulting or accusing anyone of murder on social media could not be tolerated.
FIA summons Shandana Gulzar on March 14
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday summoned MNA Shandana Gulzar Khan on March 14.
The FIA summoned Shandana for “campaigning against state authorities and inciting people.” The FIA issued notice to Shandana on the written complaint of Pakistan Peoples party’s (PPP) supporter Shoaib Mirza.
It is stated in the FIA’s notice that if Shandana Gulzar will not appear in the institution then it would be considered that she has nothing to say in her defense.
However, FIA has directed Shandana Gulzar to appear in cyber-crime reporting center Lahore.
Last year, a case was registered against Shandana at the Women’s Police Station in Islamabad for inciting hatred against institutions during her appearance on a private TV channel programme.
Sections 153A, 124A and 505, which deal with sedition, incitement and spreading hatred, were included in the case.
Gulzar was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the 2018 general elections.
She has served as a deputy minister and parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Commerce.
The woman lawmaker is one among multiple PTI leaders who have been booked on sedition charges in the past.
