Govt assures SC of not taking action against journalists involved in anti-judiciary campaign.

On Tuesday, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan reassured the Supreme Court that journalists served notices regarding their alleged involvement in a defamation campaign against judges would not face any action until after the general elections scheduled for February 8. This commitment was made during the hearing of a suo motu case, combined with a previous 2021 case related to the harassment of journalists. The three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and including Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali, presided over the proceedings.

Earlier, on January 17, the caretaker government had established a five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the circumstances surrounding a malicious social media campaign against Supreme Court judges following a court decision on the election symbol of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The JIT, formed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, comprises officials from the police, FIA, and intelligence agencies.

The list titled “JIT-SM campaign against CJP and State Institutions,” featuring the names of 47 media personnel and YouTubers, gained widespread attention on social media platforms. In a prior session, the CJP stressed the Supreme Court’s commitment to upholding the right of journalists and the public to express criticism, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) not to take legal action against them for critiquing the apex court.

Additionally, the SC requested an investigation report on the attack against journalist Absar Alam and adjourned the hearing until the first week of March.