Courts says impression should also be vanished that 
FIA takes action only against journalists

ISLAMABAD  -  The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday directed the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA to submit a report about its SOPs to issue call-up notices on the complaints filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) on allegations of cyber crimes.

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Athar Minallah issued the directions while hearing a matter against the illegal use of its powers by the FIA on the complaints filed against cyber crimes.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General informed the court that the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing received 22,970 complaints under section 20 of the PECA. He further told the wing also received complaints against 30 journalists under this section of PECA.

The IHC Chief Justice said that why there is an impression that FIA is taking selective action on these complaints. He also said that it is also being witnessed that FIA took prompt action on the complaints of the members of the government party. He continued that FIA did not take action on the complaints of common people.

The AAG informed the court that the FIA has made its SOP to issue notices in these matters. He further said that this impression should also be vanished that FIA is only taking action against journalists.   

The IHC bench said that FIA issued the notice to a journalist and it affected the others as well. It said that it called a journalist and asked him to tell the source of his news. “It does not happen in the civilized societies,” remarked the IHC Chief Justice.

He said that the examples should be given of a society where there is rule of law and protection is given to freedom of expression. He also mentioned the case of PTI MNA Kanwal Shauzab and said that the FIA should have not taken action in this matter. He said that the rulers should not be afraid of criticism because there would be no accountability without criticism. 

Justice Athar also pointed out E-11 catastrophe saying that such things would happen if they had destroyed the environment. 

He said that a citizen highlighted the issue of environment but FIA started to harass that person. 

 Later, he directed the AAG to submit detailed a report regarding the SOP of the FIA about issuance of notices on the complaints of cyber crimes and deferred the proceedings till August 8.