ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan was Friday informed that action had been taken against 32 persons allegedly involved in harassment and attacks on journalists in the capital.
In this connection, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad submitted a report regarding the action the Islamabad police had taken against the persons harassing and involved in attacking the media persons. 
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan had directed the IGP Islamabad on 13-09-21 to submit a report regarding the investigation conducted in the cases that were registered by the journalists.  
According to the report, 16 cases were registered by the journalists under criminal intimidations, assault and attempt to murder during 13-09-2020 to 12-09-2021 at different police stations of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Out of the 16 cases, the challans in 12 cases have been submitted before the trial courts.
The report said that four cases are under investigation and strenuous efforts are being made to trace out culprits involved in the cases within shortest possible time and investigation will be concluded fairly, impartially and purely on merit. 
The person who attacked journalist Absar Alam had not been identified yet, it added. “The person who attacked journalist Asad Ali Toor could not be identified by NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority). According to NADRA, the faces of those who attacked Absar Alam and Asad Ali Toor were not clear,” the report stated.
It further added that the accused who harassed journalist Meher Bukhari was under investigation. “At present, total four cases are under investigation and strenuous efforts are being made to trace out culprits involved in the cases within shortest possible time and investigation will be concluded fairly, impartially and purely on merit,” it added. 
On the last hearing, the apex court had summoned the Director General Federal Investigation Agency, Islamabad police and the Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in a case pertaining to the harassment of journalists. 
It also summoned the attorney general and the advocate general ICT at the next hearing. The bench also sought a report from the IHC registrar regarding the status of pending cases of media persons.