ISLAMABAD: Judicial Magistrate Shabbir Bhatti on Tuesday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Raoof Hasan and other employees of the party secretariat to jail on a 14-day judicial remand for their alleged involvement in anti-state propaganda.
Earlier, the FIA produced the PTI spokesperson in the court of Judicial Magistrate Shabbir Bhatti and requested a five-day extension in the physical remand of Raoof Hassan but the court rejected the request.
Hasan, who was arrested last Monday, was initially placed on a two-day remand, followed by a three-day extension, and then another two-day remand for further investigation.
During the proceedings, FIA Prosecutor Sheikh Aamir requested an additional 5-day physical remand, citing that a technical report showed all the suspected members of the PTI’s media cell were communicating with each other.
He asked the court for an additional five-day remand to continue the investigation. However, defense counsel Ali Zafar opposed the extension, citing Hasan’s deteriorating health and asked for his medical examination.
In response to the PTI lawyer’s request, the court granted permission for Raoof Hassan to undergo a medical check-up.
Hasan previously informed the court that the allegations against him were baseless.
The FIA has booked PTI’s information secretary and several employees the media cell on charges of running anti-state propaganda.
The FIA registered the FIR, claiming that PTI activist Ahmad Waqas Janjua revealed during questioning that he, along with the party’s leadership and media cell members, were involved in anti-state activities.
The charges against the 12 suspects including two women, fall under sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber-terrorism), and 11 (hate speech) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
The suspects include: Waqas, Hasan, Afaq Ahmed Alvi, Hameedullah, Rashid Mahmood, Zeeshan Farooq, Syed Osama, Mohammad Rizwan Afzal, Mohammad Rafiq, Syed Hamza, Farhat Khalid, and Iqra.
The FIR, registered the case on the complaint of CTD Inspector Sajid Ikram, alleges that the PTI media cell members, using various tactics on social media, to harm Pakistan’s integrity and disrupt law and order.
