Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Javed Iqbal has taken suo motu notice of recent harassment of and intimidation to journalists and fixed the case for hearing on Monday June 4.
The Press Association Supreme Court made a representation to the ACJ to take notice of the murder threats to the members of journalist community in Karachi and other parts of the country threatening freedom of the Press. "The application is converted into a petition and the same be fixed before the bench on Monday," ordered the acting CJP here on Thursday.
Prominent advocate Ahmer Bilal Soofi will appear before the Court to represent the Press Association Supreme Court. In its application PASC has stated that the journalist community in Pakistan is facing insecurity as many cases of harassment and intimidation have been reported recently in the backdrop of recent judicial crisis. "This situation is adversely affecting the professional duties of the journalists and crippling the congenial environment, required for the promotion and projection of truth in the media, PASC emphasised.
It is alleged, the office bearers of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other media persons of different organisations received threatening messages including phone calls and envelopes containing live bullets.
PASC prayed that the incidents should be considered in the light of abductions and murder of journalists in the recent past particularly the assassination of senior journalist Hayatullah and abduction of Sohail Qalandar, Editor of Daily Express.
It argued that threats and incidents of intimidation have become routine recently, depriving the working journalists of their fundamental rights including the right of freedom of speech and expression as well as personal security as enshrined in Articles 9 and 19 of the Constitution.