Asad Ali Toor, a journalist and YouTuber, has been issued summons by the Federal Investigation Agency to appear before the body to provide a statement in an inquiry regarding “defamation” of a government institution through social media.
A notice was sent to Toor’s residence by the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Rawalpindi, wherein it was stated that the FIA was conducting an inquiry regarding “defamation of institution of Government of Pakistan through social media” on the complaint of one Fayyaz Mehmood Raja.
“The available facts suggest that you are well aware of the facts/circumstances of said inquiry,” it read.
“Therefore, you are directed to appear before the undersign[ed]” at FIA police station, Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Rawalpindi on June 4, 2021, at 11am “to answer such question[s] as put forth to you”, it added.
The notice said criminal proceedings could be initiated against the journalist in case of non-compliance.
However, the details of the FIA inquiry are not available as of time of filing.
It is pertinent here to mention that last week, three unidentified men beat up vlogger and journalist Asad Ali Toor outside his residence in Islamabad late on Tuesday night.
Islamabad police said the masked suspects arrived outside his residence located in an apartment building. A scuffle broke out between Toor and the suspects who thrashed him before fleeing the scene.
Toor was later shifted to the hospital where his condition is reported to be stable.
In a tweet, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz expressed concern. “OMG! This is shocking! May Allah protect him. I hope he is out of danger.”
In September last year, Toor was charged with spreading “negative propaganda” against the state and its institutions through social media under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
In November, the Lahore High Court cleared him of charges, declaring there was not enough evidence to support the charges.
Passed in 2016, PECA has been criticised by civil society as a draconian tool used to muzzle free speech. The act criminalises speech, along with speech that criticises state institutions.
