FIA arrests Asad Toor in connection with anti-judiciary campaign probe: lawyer

• JIT formed to probe malicious campaign against SC judges.
• Smear drive started after SC announced PTI bat symbol verdict.
• Asad Toor held after he appeared before FIA for interrogation. 

Blogger and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor was arrested on Monday by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with an investigation into a malicious campaign against Supreme Court judges including Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

His counsel Imaan Mazari confirmed the arrest to Geo.tv.

Last month, the caretaker government had constituted a six-member high-powered Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to inquire into the malicious campaign launched against judges of the top court after the CJP Isa-led bench announced the verdict on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party polls.

Mazari told Geo.tv that on February 23 (Friday), Toor was “detained” for eight hours by FIA officials after he appeared before the JIT in connection with the investigation despite not being served notice per the due process.

The next day on Saturday, Mazari said an officer of the FIA delivered the second notice, asking the journalist to appear before the JIT at 11am on Monday (today).

“We went to high court today in the morning, and the chief justice, even though I specifically told him about the eight-hour detention and that there’s a real apprehension of arrest because they have threatened us as well, said that he cannot do anything based on apprehensions,” she added.

After the hearing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Mazari said she went to the FIA office at 4:46pm when Asad was inside the FIA office for interrogation.

She said the FIA officials kept Toor in custody till about 9pm and thereafter they then sent a handwritten note that he had written to me, giving some instructions and his car keys, mentioning that he’s been arrested.

“My husband, Advocate Hadi, asked them whether he had been formally arrested, to which the FIA officials said yes, without providing an FIR to us,” Mazari added.

Rights activist Usama Khilji also told Geo.tv that the blogger had been arrested without the FIA providing a copy of the complaint against him.

“This will have a chilling effect on all journalism in Pakistan [...] it’s a big matter of concern for all citizens that their right to information is being violated,” Khilji added.

The JIT was tasked with investigating mainly three specific matters: firstly, to ascertain facts behind the malicious social media campaign to malign the image of the honourable judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; secondly, to identify and bring the culprits to book under the relevant laws and get challans presented the relevant courts; and finally to recommend measures for the prevention of such incidents in future, The News had reported quoting sources.