ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP):Supreme Court (SC) Monday summoned the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman, inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad and attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) in a case pertaining to the complaints of journalists.
\nThe bench also summoned all four advocate generals and sought a report from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) registrar regarding the status of pending cases of media persons on the next date of hearing scheduled to be held on September 15.
\nA three-member SC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the suo moto notice case regarding highhandedness by the FIA action pursuant to first information reports lodged at FIA Cyber Crime Wing Lahore.
\nDuring the course of proceedings, Justice Ijaz said the court would intervene for protection of journalists\u2019 rights. Journalists Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui, Asad Toor and Amir Mir withdrew their applications.
\nJustice Munib Akhtar said the Constitution guaranteed freedom to media. the freedom of the press was also protected in the Indian, American and German constitutions, he added.
\nHe said any law that contradicted to Article 19 would be declared null and void.
\nJustice Ijaz said the court would support journalists on the issue of salaries and terminations.
\nQazi Amin said, \u201cAs judges, we cannot do politics and the job of journalists is to do journalism, not to do politics.\u201d He said journalism and freedom of expression must be within the realm of civilization. Judges were in the hands of history, not a few people, he added.
\nJustice Ijaz said the court had to convince itself that the fundamental rights were not being violated. Media was the conscience and voice of the nation, he added.
\nLater, the court summoned FIA director general, PEMRA chairman, AGP, IGP Islamabad and advocate generals and adjourned hearing of the case till September 15.
\nIt may be noted that the case was originally taken up by a division bench led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The bench on August 20, directly entertained the Press Association of Supreme Court (PAS) application against alleged harassment of media persons. The division bench had also summoned several government functionaries on August 26 before it.
\nHowever, on August 23, a five-judge larger bench of the apex court, headed by Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, \u201cheld in abeyance\u201d the two-member bench order.
\nThe bench said the order deviated from the established practice of entertaining the suo moto notices.
\nThe SC also said the chief justice of Pakistan was the \u201csole authority by and through whom the suo moto jurisdiction can be, and is to be, invoked\/assumed\u201d under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP):Supreme Court (SC) Monday summoned the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman, inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad and attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) in a case pertaining to the complaints of journalists. The bench […]<\/p>\n
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