JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 06, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to move out of the offices of country’s largest media house within one month.
The court held a hearing on the frozen bank accounts of Pakistan’s leading IT Company Axact and on FIA’s illegal seizure of its office buildings and ordered FIA to complete forensic audit of the IT company and move out of its offices within one month.
The Supreme Court also strictly directed Attorney General of Pakistan to produce a detailed report on why Axact’s bank accounts had been frozen.
Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who chaired the hearing noted that FIA could only freeze a bank account, if being used for illegal operations and that it could not use Axact’s offices as a guesthouse.
The Justice also asked the trial court not to pass any ruling on Axact’s frozen bank accounts until the next hearing in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court severely admonished FIA’s investigation officer commenting that Axact’s offices were not constructed to serve as agency’s living quarters.
During the hearing Axact’s lawyer informed the two-member bench – including Justice Gulzar Ahmed – that FIA was still occupying the IT Company’s office and that its bank account had not yet been unfrozen on purpose.
Due to shortage of time the hearing was adjourned for two weeks.
FIA officials have been using Axact offices illegally as their guesthouse for the last 11 months.
Axact is the parent company of BOL News, a channel widely believed to have been victimized by the government in connivance with some big media houses.
March 20, 2025: The FIA has arrested journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick over his YouTube content, sparking concerns over press freedom. His family and media organizations demand transparency and his immediate release.
March 20, 2025: A Pakistani delegation, including journalists and filmmakers, secretly visited Israel, sparking controversy. The visit, facilitated by Israeli NGO Sharaka, aimed to promote cultural diplomacy. Read more on this developing story.
March 20, 2025: Amnesty International calls for an investigation into the enforced disappearance of journalist Ahmad Noorani’s brothers, condemning it as an attack on press freedom and human rights.
March 19, 2025: Islamabad Police deny raiding journalist Ahmad Noorani’s residence as his family files a complaint about the alleged abduction of his brothers. Noorani, residing in the US, claims his family was targeted due to his reporting.
March 19, 2025: The reported abduction of investigative journalist Ahmed Noorani's brothers marks a disturbing escalation in Pakistan's press freedom crisis, following his exposé on military leadership privileges.
March 16, 2025: Senior analyst Imtiaz Gul joins the growing list of journalists and commentators banned from Pakistani television, raising fresh concerns about declining press freedom in the country.
March 14, 2025: Explore how exiled Pakistani journalists are leveraging digital platforms to deliver independent analysis and fill critical information gaps that state-controlled media leaves behind, transforming the country's media landscape from abroad.
March 07, 2025: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has questioned the delay in the Arshad Sharif murder investigation, as the government seeks additional time to finalize a mutual legal assistance agreement with Kenya.
March 19, 2025 Apply for the NYU Stern Climate Economics Journalism Fellowship to deepen your understanding of climate economics and its impact on global finance. Applications close on April 20, 2025.
March 16, 2025 The Trump administration has ordered furloughs at U.S.-funded broadcasters, including Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia, raising concerns about press freedom and government control over media funding.
March 15, 2025 Explore the dynamic relationship between athletes and sports journalists, examining the challenges, ethical dilemmas, and mutual benefits that shape the sports media landscape.
March 14, 2025 The National Press Foundation is offering a fully funded journalism training workshop in Singapore from June 22 to 25. The workshop will cover sustainable global trade, investment, politics, and more. Apply by April 6.
March 14, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urges Maharashtra authorities to ensure their AI-driven media monitoring plan does not undermine press freedom. The initiative, which classifies news as positive or negative, raises concerns over government overreach and self-censorship.