ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Friday, directed the trial court to hear journalist Asad Ali Toor’s bail petition on Saturday (today) in a case registered against him for allegedly running a “malicious campaign” against the judiciary.

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq conducted the hearing of the petition filed by Toor through her counsel Imaan Zainab Mazari.

After hearing the arguments, the IHC chief justice wrote in his written order that the record shows that the petitioner had moved bail application before the trial court in which the matter apparently has been adjourned for 18.03.2024, however, the counsel for the petitioner expressed urgency in the matter pursuant to certain observations made by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Sou Moto Case No4/2021, vide order dated 11.03.2024.

He observed, “Since bail application of the Petitioner is pending before the Trial Court, the office objection as to the maintainability of the instant writ petition is correct and hence is sustained along with other objections; however, keeping in view the urgency expressed by the learned counsel for the petitioner, trial Court is directed to hear the bail application of the petitioner on 16.03.2024. In this regard, the FIA/State is issued notice and is directed to appear before the Trial Court on 16.03.2024.”

According to the FIR (First Information Report), Toor was booked under Sections 9, 10 and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which deal with the offences of glorification of an offence, cyber terrorism and cyber-stalking.

The FIR stated that Toor “built a false narrative” and publicly launched a “malicious/ obnoxious and explicit campaign” against “civil servants/ government officials and state institutions”.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024