Five prominent journalists to face FIA inquiries

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 27 March 2019

The Federal Investigation Agency will start inquiries against five journalists and an activist due to social media posts related to a controversial visit. The group reportedly protested against the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
Summary

ISLAMABAD – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is to initiate inquiries against five prominent journalists, an activist, and a few groups for allegedly running social media campaigns during the visit to Pakistan last month of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

Journalists Matiullah Jan, Murtaza Solangi, Umar Cheema, Azaz Syed, and Ammar Masood, and activist Ahmed Waqass Goraya feature prominently on the list.

All six of them displayed the picture of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on their social media profile DPs, according to the letter written by Chaudhary Abdul Rauf, Additional Director Cybercrime Wing, FIA to additional directors cybercrime, Rawalpindi.

Alright, so you’ve to ask the government before changing your profile picture on social media platforms. How shameful it is on part of the state to vilify those who spoke up and recorded protest against the killing of the Saudi journalist #JamalKhashoggi during MBS’s visit to Pak pic.twitter.com/Mo6L8R7qoG
— Mujeeb (@MujeebS9) March 27, 2019

The letter dated March 13, 2019 also names Majlis-e-Wahadat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Imamia Students Organization (ISO), Hizb-ul-Tahrir Pak, and Tameer-e-Watan Pary, Islamabad. They are accused of being “most active on social media” against the Saudi prince.

The letter tells the relevant officials to register inquiries against those on the list.

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