ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will Monday (today) take up a petition praying the court to probe the alleged audio leak of former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and his former focal person on digital media Dr Arslan Khalid.
A single bench of IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq will conduct hearing of the petition moved by a citizen Mohammad Arshad through his counsel Advocate Asif Gujjar.
The petitioner cited Interior Ministry, Ministry of Information, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman, Press Information Department (PID), FIA, IB, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan as respondents.
He adopted the stance that Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan should be summoned to court and asked about the audio, whereas, a forensic investigation of the audio should also be conducted.
The petitioner further said that there is no law in Pakistan to regulate social media and action should be ordered against YouTubers who do not register with government agencies.
Petitioner Arshad prayed to the court that the respondent Nos. 8 and 9 (Bushra and Arsalan) should be called upon to explain as to whether they have aired this audio clip in violation of Article 5 as the same has damaged the international, social and cultural image as well as integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and the respondent no.1 to 7 may kindly be directed to proceed accordingly.
He also requested the court to direct FIA to conduct forensic of this leaked audio clip and proceed in accordance with law against the persons involved in commission of such kind of heinous crimes and Secretary Interior, Secretary Information, Chairman PEMRA and PID be directed to take action against the YouTubers who are not registered with them and also proceed against all those news channels who have aired this leaked audio clip as it is not permissible under the law to record calls of citizens and after illegally recording or getting the same put them on air for public to create bad image about the state institutions and regulatory bodies of Pakistan.
The petitioner further requested that DG IB be directed to perform its statutory duties and act in accordance with law to curb down such illegal activities of recording of calls and airing them in order to damage international, social and cultural image as well as integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and take strict legal actions against the persons involved in commission of such kind of heinous crimes due to which protections given to citizens in Article 14 are violated.
The petitioner has cited Interior Ministry, Ministry of Information, PEMRA, PID, FIA, IB, SBP, Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan as respondents
He urged the court that the SBP be directed to submit the record of bank accounts of all those YouTubers before respondents no.1-6, who are earning foreign funds through commission of such kind of illegal/unconstitutional acts of audio/ video leaks and damaging the international, social, cultural image as well as integrity of Pakistan and the respondents no.1 to 6 may be directed to proceed against them on basis of record provided by the SBP.
He continued that Bushra Bibi after forensic of above mentioned leaked audio clip if found involved, then the respondents No.1 ,2, 4 and 6 may be directed to take stern legal action against her and Dr Arsalan and the proceedings of wilful contempt of court may also be initiated against her for violation of orders dated 30-3-22 in W.P.No.1122/2022.
The petitioner also prayed to the court that the respondents may also be inquired as to whether the directions passed in W.P.No.2305/2018 have been complied with the respondents or not regarding imposition of restrictions for using any social media and Facebook for any kind of activities considered as subversive or against the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan.
A single bench of IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq will conduct hearing of the petition moved by a citizen Mohammad Arshad through his counsel Advocate Asif Gujjar.
The petitioner cited Interior Ministry, Ministry of Information, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman, Press Information Department (PID), FIA, IB, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan as respondents.
He adopted the stance that Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan should be summoned to court and asked about the audio, whereas, a forensic investigation of the audio should also be conducted.
The petitioner further said that there is no law in Pakistan to regulate social media and action should be ordered against YouTubers who do not register with government agencies.
Petitioner Arshad prayed to the court that the respondent Nos. 8 and 9 (Bushra and Arsalan) should be called upon to explain as to whether they have aired this audio clip in violation of Article 5 as the same has damaged the international, social and cultural image as well as integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and the respondent no.1 to 7 may kindly be directed to proceed accordingly.
He also requested the court to direct FIA to conduct forensic of this leaked audio clip and proceed in accordance with law against the persons involved in commission of such kind of heinous crimes and Secretary Interior, Secretary Information, Chairman PEMRA and PID be directed to take action against the YouTubers who are not registered with them and also proceed against all those news channels who have aired this leaked audio clip as it is not permissible under the law to record calls of citizens and after illegally recording or getting the same put them on air for public to create bad image about the state institutions and regulatory bodies of Pakistan.
The petitioner further requested that DG IB be directed to perform its statutory duties and act in accordance with law to curb down such illegal activities of recording of calls and airing them in order to damage international, social and cultural image as well as integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and take strict legal actions against the persons involved in commission of such kind of heinous crimes due to which protections given to citizens in Article 14 are violated.
The petitioner has cited Interior Ministry, Ministry of Information, PEMRA, PID, FIA, IB, SBP, Bushra Bibi and Dr Arslan as respondents
He urged the court that the SBP be directed to submit the record of bank accounts of all those YouTubers before respondents no.1-6, who are earning foreign funds through commission of such kind of illegal/unconstitutional acts of audio/ video leaks and damaging the international, social, cultural image as well as integrity of Pakistan and the respondents no.1 to 6 may be directed to proceed against them on basis of record provided by the SBP.
He continued that Bushra Bibi after forensic of above mentioned leaked audio clip if found involved, then the respondents No.1 ,2, 4 and 6 may be directed to take stern legal action against her and Dr Arsalan and the proceedings of wilful contempt of court may also be initiated against her for violation of orders dated 30-3-22 in W.P.No.1122/2022.
The petitioner also prayed to the court that the respondents may also be inquired as to whether the directions passed in W.P.No.2305/2018 have been complied with the respondents or not regarding imposition of restrictions for using any social media and Facebook for any kind of activities considered as subversive or against the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan.
