Campaign
ISLAMABAD: Blogger Asad Ali Toor underwent hours of interrogation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as part of an inquiry into a social media campaign allegedly maligning the superior judiciary, particularly Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa. The investigation is related to the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ‘bat’ symbol.
A five-member joint investigation team (JIT) of the FIA has been actively probing the ongoing “malicious” campaign against the honorable judges of the apex court. The JIT identified two bloggers, Asad Ali Toor and Imran Riaz, as being involved in trolling judges, and Toor was questioned about his motives behind the alleged campaign.
Toor, accompanied by his legal team and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, was detained in the morning and released in the evening after providing his statement. The JIT aims to complete the inquiry, initially scheduled for 15 days, by February 28, with a revised duration of 7 days.
Imran Riaz, the other blogger implicated in the campaign, has also been summoned by the JIT but is currently in the custody of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in a separate case related to the Tharabi Lake contract.
The JIT has specific tasks, including uncovering facts behind the social media campaign against the judges, identifying and holding culprits accountable under relevant laws, and recommending preventive measures for future incidents.
In a separate legal development, Imran Riaz was sent to jail on judicial remand in a case related to the acquisition of the Tharabi Lake contract at a reduced price. The court rejected the plea for physical remand, citing insufficient evidence to support the charges.
These developments highlight the multifaceted legal challenges faced by individuals involved in the alleged social media campaign, combining inquiries into online activities and other legal matters.
