AGP tells top court that notices will be reissued after elections
- The AGP says notices will be issued again after the elections.
- SC seeks report on attack on journalist Absar Alam.
- The president of the Palestinian Authority says the notice has not been withdrawn.
ISLAMABAD: Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that no action will be taken against the journalists, who were issued notices for their alleged involvement in defamation, until the general elections scheduled for on February 8.
The development occurred during the hearing of a suo motu case that was revived along with an old case heard in 2021 related to the harassment of journalists.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali conducted the hearing of the case.
On January 17, the caretaker government formed a five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to ascertain the facts behind a malicious social media campaign against Supreme Court judges after the apex court issued a verdict on the electoral symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. (PTI).
The JIT constituted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 consists of officials from the police, FIA and intelligence agencies.
The FIA list titled “JIT-SM Campaign against CJP and state institutions”, which has the names of 47 journalists and YouTubers, went viral on social media.
A day earlier, the top judge said the Supreme Court cannot stop any journalist, even the general public, from expressing criticism, and ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) not to take legal action against them for criticizing the High Court.
The AGP, during today's hearing, told the top court that the notices will be issued again after the elections.
today's audience
AGP Awan and the Supreme Court Officials Press Association appeared before the court.
At the beginning of the hearing, CJP Isa asked if any petition was filed today. To this, the president of the press association said that the statement could not be submitted because the FIA did not provide a list.
CJP Isa said the high court did not issue an order for this, adding that he hoped a petition would be filed. “The court cannot issue any order until the matter is heard in the committee of judges,” he added.
Later, he asked where the notification from the joint investigation team was. “If the court makes a suo motu decision like this, journalists would object,” she added.
Justice Mazhar informed that those who received the notices could have submitted their responses.
“Has anyone appeared before the FIA?” Justice Mazhar questioned.
Given this, AGP Awan said that the JIT was stopped until today.
Journalist Matiullah Jan told the court that attempts were being made to control the media. He then asked the institutions to convene them in relation to the calls after the February 8 elections.
“The federal government should be asked to create a code of conduct on social media in collaboration with stakeholders,” said one lawyer.
CJP Isa asked if the court could issue such an order.
“There is no law regulating digital media. The law is only for criminal proceedings,” Justice Mazhar responded.
The chief justice said the court can only request that the interested parties meet.
At this point, the president of the Palestinian Authority said that despite the court's observation, the notifications were not withdrawn.
“We do not care about criticism because we respect the Constitution and the laws,” remarked the CJP.
The AGP said there was a process to withdraw the notices.
Supreme Court Bar Association president Shehzad Shaukat later said they encourage criticism but cannot allow fabricated accusations.
“We had the impression that the notifications were withdrawn after yesterday's hearing. Even today no one believes that the reports were wrong and that the notifications were not withdrawn,” he added.
At the time, the court gave journalists time until the elections to appear before the FIA investigation.
“The FIA complaints against journalists will be resumed after the elections,” says the AGP.
The SC also sought an investigation report into the attack on journalist Absar Alam.
