Journalist Amir Mir withdraws petition

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 30 August 2021

Amir Mir has withdrawn his petition regarding the FIA's cyber wing, citing intimidation and a lack of faith in the justice system. His decision follows a series of personal threats and a previous detention.

Summary

LAHORE—Journalist Amir Mir has withdrawn his petition filed in the Supreme Court concerning the high-handedness of FIA’s cyber wing.

“I would like to humbly inform that honorable 3-member bench of the Supreme Court that I don’t want to be part of this case and my petition may be kindly be considered withdrawn,” Mir said in his application, shared online by former PEMRA chairman Absar Alam in a tweet.

Mir, brother of prominent journalist Hamid Mir, was briefly detained by the FIA along with journalist Imran Shafqat on August 7.

Mir maintained he would not be able to get justice “because the ‘invisible’ elements which have been using the FIA Cyber Wing to intimidate, harass, and abduct/arrest me for the last two years, are more powerful than those who are supposed to provide justice and safeguard fundamental rights of the Pakistani citizens.”

As evidence, he quoted attacks against Matiullah Jan, Asad Toor, and Absar Alam in Islamabad.

“I have constantly been receiving overt and covert threats from these elements and had approached the Supreme Court following the latest episode of my arrest by FIA. But whatever happened ever since I filed petition on August 20, 2021, I feel extremely discouraged to pursue this case further.”

KEY POINTS:

• Amir Mir withdrew his Supreme Court petition against FIA's cyber unit.
• He cited intimidation and a lack of justice as reasons for withdrawal.
• Mir was previously detained alongside journalist Imran Shafqat.
• He mentioned ongoing threats and harassment from 'invisible' elements.
• Mir's withdrawal reflects the challenges faced by journalists in Pakistan.