ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will resume hearing of suo moto on harassment of journalists from Monday (tomorrow). A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, on August 30 had summoned the director general Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) with a complete record of journalists' harassment.

The court also summoned the record from Islamabad High Court (IHC) of all cases related to journalists' harassment pending before it. The bench had issued notices to the Inspector General of Police Islamabad, chairman Pemra and the Attorney General for Pakistan. Asad Toor, Qayyum Siddiqui, and Amir Mir have withdrawn their applications.

They had filed the applications before Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who took the suo moto. However, a five-member larger bench, headed by Acting Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Qazi Muhammad Ameen, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar on August 26 recalled Justice Qazi Faez's 20th August order to issue notices to the federal and provincial authorities and the law officers.

The larger bench declared that the chief justice of Pakistan is the sole authority to take suo moto. The acting chief justice; however, constituted a three-member special bench, for hearing the suo moto. The case was adjourned until September 15, but as Justice Ijaz has to proceed abroad; therefore, the case is now fixed for Monday.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021