The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the director Cyber-Crime Wing of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to appear in person in a case pertaining to taking action against people involved in uploading anti-state material on social media. A single bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq after hearing the counsels deferred the case until May 19.
The court also directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) to apprise the court of their powers regarding social media on the next hearing. The IHC bench issued these directions while hearing a petition moved by Farrukh Nawaz Bhatti through his counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi. He cited secretary IT, secretary interior, chairman PTA, chairman PEMRA and DG FIA as respondents.
In his petition, he mentioned verdict of the IHC single bench dated July 4 last wherein, the court had held, "The instant petition is disposed of with the direction to respondents to ensure that the obligation cast upon them under various laws regarding the publication of material in press, electronic media and / or social media to ensure that no material which is derogatory to the interest and integrity of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its institutions and injunctions of Islam be allowed to be published or to be on internet."
The verdict further added, "In this regard, the referred institutions shall ensure taking appropriate action as provided under the law with respect to any complaint made before them or any material which comes to their knowledge which is in violation of the referred laws."
The petitioner adopted in the present matter that the respondents have not properly obeyed the court's orders rather they have polluted their own undertaking as they have failed to take appropriate measures to restrain anti-state campaign and protest as per the earlier orders passed by the court.
He contended that the respondents have not honored the court orders and failed to discharge their duties which act is violation of their own undertaking. He added that this act of respondents is highly illegal, contemptuous and violation of order passed by the court.
"Respondents through their contemptuous conduct have not only violated the commands of this court but also tried to undermine the authority of this court by not acting upon on their own undertaking given before this court," maintained the petitioner.
He continued that they willfully disobeyed the orders of this by not complying the requisite directions, hence they have committed willful contempt of orders of this court. Therefore, he prayed to the court that the respondents may kindly be summoned and punished in accordance with law.
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