ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Saturday granted bail to journalist Asad Ali Toor in a case registered against him for campaigning against the judiciary.
Toor, a reporter and 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.
His arrest came a month after Pakistan formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe a “malicious” social media campaign against the country’s judges. The decision was taken after the Supreme Court decided to uphold a ruling by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to strip jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s 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 on YouTube have been critical of government agencies, Pakistan’s military establishment and the Supreme Court.
“The accused has been granted bail in the case mentioned above,” Judge Humayyun Dilawar said in his release orders to Adiala jail superintendent on Saturday. “Hence, if not wanted in any other case, then release [the accused] after verifying surety bonds.”
Pakistani media bodies, including the Press Association of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association, earlier filed a joint petition requesting the top court to cancel the JIT probing the alleged campaign against the judiciary.
Leading Pakistani media bodies also urged the government and judiciary to intervene to stop what they said was growing censorship and pressure from state institutions.
Pakistani state institutions deny they control media groups.
Pakistani court grants bail to journalist Asad Toor in anti-judiciary campaign case
https://arab.news/y3gdt
Pakistani court grants bail to journalist Asad Toor in anti-judiciary campaign case
- Asad Toor was arrested on Feb. 26 on charges of running an online campaign against state and its officials
- His arrest came month after Pakistan formed inquiry team to probe alleged online campaign against judiciary
Pakistani, Bangladeshi officials discuss trade, investment and aviation as ties thaw
- Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war
- Ties between Pakistan, Bangladesh have warmed up since last year and both nations have resumed sea trade
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Sunday met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka, the latter's office said on, with the two figures discussing trade, investment and aviation.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August 2024. Relations remain frosty between Dhaka and New Delhi over India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina.
Pakistan has attempted to forge closer ties with Bangladesh in recent months and both South Asian nations last year began sea trade, followed by efforts to expand government-to-government commerce.
"During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and aviation as well as scaling up cultural, educational and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian nations," Yunus's office said in a statement on X.
In 2023-24 Pakistan exported goods worth $661 million to Bangladesh, while its imports were only $57 million, according to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. In Aug. this year, the Pakistani and Bangladeshi commerce ministries signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Joint Working Group on Trade, aiming to raise their bilateral trade volume to $1 billion in the financial year that began in July.
The Pakistani high commissioner noted that bilateral trade has recorded a 20 percent growth compared to last year, with business communities from both countries actively exploring new investment opportunities, according to the statement.
He highlighted a significant increase in cultural exchanges, adding that Bangladeshi students have shown strong interest in higher education opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in medical sciences, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Haider also said that Dhaka-Karachi direct flights are expected to start in January.
"Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus welcomed the growing interactions between the two countries and emphasized the importance of increased visits as well as cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges among SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) member states," the statement read.
"Professor Yunus also underscored the need to further boost Bangladesh–Pakistan trade and expressed hope that during Mr. Haider’s tenure, both countries would explore new avenues for investment and joint venture businesses."
