ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court has issued notice to the director general and Federal Investigation Agency and restrained it from harassing a journalist.
A reply was demanded from FIA by Justice Aamir Farooq and hearing was adjourned till May 29.
Taha Siddiqui, a journalist with World is One News, had filed a petition in Islamabad High Court over alleged harassment by Federal Investigation Agency [FIA].
Siddiqui said in the petition he received a call from Pakistan’s state agency asking him to appear in person at their office for an interrogation. “The caller who introduced himself as Noman Bodla from the Counter Terrorism Department of the FIA demanded that the petitioner may appear before him at the FIA Headquarters for an interrogation,” states the petition filed by Taha.
When Taha questioned why he had to appear before the agency, the caller said for interrogation concerned issues and opinions Taha had written involving his professional work.
Taha told the court that his professional work was publicly accessible and he doesn’t need to appear at the FIA Headquarters for the interrogation.
The petitioner’s counsel, Asma Jahangir, stated before the court that the FIA was treating a journalist like a terrorist.
The counsel requested the court to stop the FIA from harassing the journalist.