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Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi on Sunday said the joint investigation team (JIT) — formed earlier this month to probe a “malicious social media campaign” against Supreme Court judges — was functioning in accordance with the law.
On January 16, the interior ministry had constituted a five-member joint investigation team to “ascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign” against Supreme Court judges.
The panel — formed under Section 30 (power to investigate) of the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 — was convened by the additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing, according to an interior ministry notification.
The JIT was formed as Pakistan’s premier legal bodies came to the aid of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and the Supreme Court against the backdrop of a “smear campaign” that erupted on social media soon after the Jan 13 judgement — when the apex court upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to revoke the PTI’s iconic electoral symbol, the cricket bat, and declare its intra-party polls “unconstitutional”.
Earlier this week, the information minister had said that authorities had identified around 500 social media accounts involved in running a “malicious campaign” against the judiciary.
“An investigation is underway. We are monitoring hundreds of accounts, and action will be taken against them,” he had said, adding that these accounts were being operated from both within and outside the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Saturday had taken suo motu notice of the alleged harassment of journalists by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against the backdrop of the campaign against the judiciary. The CJP also constituted a three-judge SC bench that will take up the matter on Monday.
Some of the journalists who have been issued notices, according to what is being circulated in the social media, include Siddique Jan, Matiullah Jan, Saqib Bashir, Asad Ali Toor, Paras Jahanzeb, Iqrarul Hassan, Shaheen Sehbai, Adeel Raja, Sabir Shakir, Jibran Nasir, Azhar Mashwani, Imran Riaz, Arif Hameed Bhatti and Sara Taseer.
During today’s press conference, Solangi said the JIT was formed on January 16 to probe the anti-judiciary campaign on the social media. He said the JIT’s first meeting held was on January 17 while the second was convened on January 23, adding that an investigation into the alleged social media campaign was still under way.
He said that so far 600 accounts were investigated, adding that as many as 100 inquiries were registered. Solangi said notices were issued to 110 individuals, including 32 journalists, and 22 politicians and political workers.
The notices to the individuals were served in accordance with the law, Solangi said brushing aside reports regarding the harassment of journalists.
He also highlighted the legal process regarding the inquiry and investigation. “Simply visiting the FIA office does not lead to automatic arrest,” he said, adding that no individual had been arrested since the JIT was formed.
“Since the JIT was established, there has been a substantial reduction in the campaign of making allegations,” he added. Solangi said the law would take its course against those involved in running a campaign against the judiciary.
“This is not about criticism rather it is related to character assassination and ridiculing [of the judiciary],” he said in response to a question.
“What has been done against the judges of the apex court during the last couple of days on social media, it does not come under the pretext of criticism,” he said, adding that there should be a fine line between the criticism and ridiculing someone.
FIA Director General Ishaq Jahangir, who was also present at the press conference alongside Solangi, said that issuing a notice provided individuals with an opportunity to clarify their position.
“There is no need to panic, and our actions are in accordance with the law,” he assured, noting that not every notice would result in the registration of a first information report (FIR).
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