IHC suspends FIA notice to journalist Bilal Ghauri

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 26 June 2021

ISLAMABAD —The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended a call up notice issued by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to journalist Bilal Ghauri and summoned the FIA cybercrime wing director in person at the next hearing.

Ghauri, in his tweet with hashtag #JournalismIsNotACrime, said: "While hearing my petition, CJ IHC Justice Athar Minallah has suspended both notices issued to me from FIA and Director FIA cyber Crime has been summoned for explanation on next hearing." He also thanked his legal team comprising Advocates Imaan Hazir Mazari and Usman Warraich.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by Ghauri challenging FIA call up notice served on him. During the hearing, Mazari and Warraich appeared in the court on Ghauri’s behalf and took a stand that FIA officials were misusing the authority.

The journalist had been summoned without giving any reason, they emphasized. The chief justice said the court had repeatedly pointed out that fundamental rights should be taken care of. The FIA officials were constantly repeating the same exercise and violating the court orders, he added. The court clubbed all the identical cases against the FIA notices for hearing together on the next date of hearing.

The court also asked the FIA cybercrime director to explain why its orders dated November 3 were not implemented. The court adjourned the hearing till June 30.