Social Media Campaign Against CJP, State Bodies: FIA Launches 115 Inquiries, Names 46 Individuals

FIA has also issued summons to these individuals, asking them to appear for a hearing on January 30, 31

Social Media Campaign Against CJP, State Bodies: FIA Launches 115 Inquiries, Names 46 Individuals

A Joint Investigation Team probing the social media campaigns against the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, and state institutions has revealed the identities of 46 individuals alleged to be involved.

In this regard, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched over 100 inquiries and sent over 60 notices.

On Saturday, details of the notices sent by the FIA and the individuals who have been summoned for hearings surfaced.

The data showed that the FIA had sought some 127 records from across the country. It also registered 115  enquiries as it traced those propagating derogatory and false information against the top judge and state institutions.

Of these, it served 65 notices. In one case, it registered an FIR as well. 
However, no one has been arrested thus far.

The individuals to whom notices were served included journalists — including those who cover the courts as their primary area of reporting, television anchors or show hosts, YouTubers or digital channel operators and even some lawyers.

Prominent in the list were journalists Shaheen Sehbai, Sabir Shakir, Matiullah Jan, Cyril Almeida, Saqib Bashir, Riazul Haq, Syed Haider Raza Mehdi, Asad Ali Toor, Arif Hameed Bhatti, Siddique Jan and others.

Matiullah Jan and Saqib Bashir are journalists who have dedicatedly covered the courts in Islamabad. 

Television anchors included Paras Jahanzeb (who was named twice in the list), Iqrarul Hassan, Orya Maqbool Jan, and Imran Riaz.

The list of people who have been sent summons also includes the name of lawyer Muhammad Jibran Nasir.

Individuals such as Sara Taseer and former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf focal person on social media, Azhar Mashwani, were also issued summons.

The data showed that the most records sought, enquiries registered, and notices served were in Punjab, followed by the Islamabad Capital Territory, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the least were from Balochistan.

Most hearings have been set for January 30 and 31 in Islamabad.