IHC stops authorities from arresting journalists without court’s permission

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday stopped the authorities from arresting the journalists without the court’s permission and directed the Interior Secretary to submit its report regarding the registration of cases against TV anchors including Arshad Sharif, Sami Ibrahim, and Moeed Pirzada across the country.

A single bench of Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the directions while hearing petitions of the journalists seeking protective bail for them in the FIRs registered against them in several cities over the last couple of days.

The IHC bench also served notices to the Secretary Interior, the IGP, and the Deputy Commissioner ICT.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry advocate, informed the court that more FIRs were being registered against Arshad Sharif in Sindh and Balochistan as well.

Justice Minallah observed that the journalists were being targeted for the last three years. The lawyer said 10 FIRs had been registered against Sami Ibrahim and Imran Riaz Khan. The judge said that the things would automatically be corrected when the institutions would start working under the law. The chief justice said that this court could grant only protective bails to the petitioners.

The IHC bench said that it had no powers to decide the case of any other region or district of the country. At this, the Deputy Attorney General said that there was no such law to transfer the cases of other districts to the federal capital.

Justice Minallah said that a journalist should not get emotional rather he should demonstrate responsibility. Shoaib Razzaq advocate said that the case should be registered at the same area where the incident was taken place.

The bench said that only the Supreme Court of Pakistan could see the matter of the whole country. Then, the court appointed the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) as amicus curiae in this regard and deferred the hearing till May 30 for further proceedings.

In this matter, multiple cases were lodged against journalists Arshad Sharif, Sabir Shakir, Sami Ibrahim, and Imran Riaz Khan for allegedly spreading hate against the army and the state institutions. The cases were registered at police stations in Latifabad, Dadu, and many other areas.

Tayyab Hussain, a resident of Latifabad, lodged a case under sections 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempt to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot if rioting be committed), if not committed [then] 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of PPC at B-section police station of Latifabad, Hyderabad district, on May 20.

Hussain said he had heard Arshad Sharif speaking against Pakistan Army on his You Tube channel to spread hate among institutions. Another FIR was lodged at Dadu district’s A-section police station vide crime No 26/22 on May 20 under the same sections on a complaint of one Amir Ali Leghari. The complainant said legal action should be taken against them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022