ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Wednesday extended journalist Asad Toor’s physical remand by two days, his lawyer confirmed, in a case where he is accused of running a campaign against the judiciary on social media.
Toor, a reporter who is also a popular video blogger in Pakistan, was arrested on Feb 26 on charges of orchestrating a campaign against the state and its officials, with the “objective to coerce, intimidate, and incite violence” against them through his social media platforms. He was presented in court a day later, after which his remand was extended for five days.
In January, Pakistan’s caretaker government formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe a “malicious” social media campaign against Pakistani judges. The decision was taken after the Supreme Court decided to uphold a ruling by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to strip the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of its election symbol. The decision was criticized by Khan supporters, journalists and political analysts on social media.
In recent months, several of Toor’s posts and videos have been critical of government agencies, Pakistan’s military establishment and the Supreme Court.
Toor’s lawyer, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir wrote on social media platform X that she would challenge the court’s decision to extend her client’s remand.
“Completely unfair and unnecessary extension of 2 days remand by Judicial Magistrate in Asad Toor’s case,” Mazari-Hazir wrote.
“We will be challenging this order in revision. Our case is also fixed for hearing before Islamabad High Court tomorrow morning.”
Pakistani media bodies, including the Press Association of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association last week filed a joint petition requesting the top court to cancel the JIT probing the alleged campaign against the judiciary.
Leading Pakistani media bodies have urged the government and judiciary to intervene to stop what they say is growing censorship and pressure from state institutions.
A media crackdown that began after the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan in April 2022 and his very public falling out with the all-powerful army has morphed into widespread self-censorship by journalists fearful of repercussions if they criticize the state’s policies.
Pakistan’s military and other state institutions deny allegations they pressure media groups.
Pakistani court extends journalist Asad Toor’s remand in anti-judiciary campaign case
https://arab.news/9k8fm
Pakistani court extends journalist Asad Toor’s remand in anti-judiciary campaign case
- Asad Toor was arrested on Feb. 26 on charges of running an online campaign against state and its officials
- In January, Pakistan formed an investigation team to probe alleged online campaign against judiciary
Pakistan police, security forces kill 12 militants in separate operations
- The operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak, Balochistan’s Kalat districts
- The country is currently battling twin insurgencies in both provinces that border Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s police and security forces have gunned down 12 militants in separate operations in two western provinces that border Afghanistan, authorities said on Sunday.
Police launched an operation in a mountainous area of Karak district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, following reports of militant presence, according to Karak police spokesman Shaukat Khan.
The operation resulted in the killing of at least eight militants, while several others were wounded in the exchange of fire with law enforcers. Karak police chief Saud Khan led the heavy police contingent alongside personnel from intelligence agencies.
“Several militant hideouts located in the mountainous terrain between Kohat and Karak districts were dismantled during the operation,” Khan told Arab News on Sunday evening, adding the operation was still ongoing.
Separately, security forces killed four “Indian-sponsored” separatist militants in an intelligence-based operation in Kalat district of the southwestern Balochistan province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area.”
Pakistan, which has been facing a surge in militancy, has long accused Afghanistan of allowing its soil and India of backing militant groups, including the TTP, for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied this.
