Pakistani journalist Asad Toor summoned by FIA in inquiry about 'defamation of govt institution'

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued a summons to Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor who was recently attacked by three masked men, to appear before it and record his statement in an inquiry regarding 'defamation of govt institution.'

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued a summons to Pakist journalist Asad Ali Toor who was recently attacked by three masked men, to appear before it and record his statement in an inquiry regarding 'defamation of govt institution.'

Dawn reported that a notice titled 'Order for attendance under Section 160 CrPC for recording of statement' was sent to Toor's Islamabad residence by the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Rawalpindi.

The notice said that FIA Cyber Crime Rawalpindi was conducting an inquiry regarding "defamation of institution of Government of Pakistan through social media" on the complaint of one Fayyaz Mehmood Raja.

"The available facts suggest that you are well aware of the facts/circumstances of said inquiry," it read.

"Therefore, you are directed to appear before the undersign[ed]" at FIA police station, Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Rawalpindi on June 4, 2021, at 11 am "to answer such question[s] as put forth to you", it added.

In his complaint, Raja said he had watched a video on May 27 uploaded by Toor on social media "in which allegations have been levelled against our respected institutions".

Raja said he then went through Toor's Twitter and Youtube channels and was very surprised to notice that "this man is levelling allegations against our institutions through a particular agenda and conspiracy."

The complainant asked the FIA to take legal action against the journalist.

Last week, Toor was severely beaten up by unidentified assailants outside his residence in Islamabad's Sector F-10 on May 25.

According to police, some people gathered outside the journalist's residence located in an apartment building. A scuffle took place between him and these people who fled the scene after thrashing him.

Meawhile, politics erupted after an attack on Pakist journalist, opposition leader and chairman of National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should be ashamed while telling lies to the entire world that media was completely free in the country.

( With inputs from ANI )