ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday termed the First Information Report (FIR) registered against journalist Asad Ali Toor infructuous.

Mr Toor was represented by Advocate retired Col Inamur Rahim and Imaan Zainab Hazir-Mazari before Justice Sadiq Mahmud Khurram. Besides, prominent lawyers Umar Gillani, Imtiaz Haider and Sikandar Naeem Qazi being part of the legal committee of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) for defence of journalists fought Mr Toor’s case.

Last month, the Islamabad High Court granted protective bail to journalist Toor in a case registered against him in Rawalpindi by the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for ‘defaming’ the army.

The case was registered in the Jatli police station of Rawalpindi in response to a complaint lodged by a habitual litigant Hafiz Ehtasham, a resident of Nasirabad.

The case was registered under Section 499 (defamation), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of Pakistan Penal Code along with sections 11, 20 and 37 of Prevention of the Electronic Crime Act 2016.

According to the FIR, Mr Toor, a social media activist, has allegedly been doing propaganda against Pakistan and its institutions on social media for long.

He allegedly used foul language against the institutions, including Pakistan Army, in his posts during the last few days, which is a crime, the FIR added.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2020