Zubair Qureshi
Journalist and v-logger Asad Ali Toor was released from Adiala Jail on Saturday after an Islamabad trial court approved his bail in a case about an online campaign against the judiciary.
Special judge Central HamayunDilawar heard AsadToor’s post-arrest bail plea in a case of alleged involvement in a malicious campaign against the state institutions.
AsadToor’s counsel, the investigation officer, along with the case record, appeared before the court. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Prosecutor Ishtiaq Hussain Shah was also present in the courtroom.
AsadToor’s counsel— Advocates ImaanMazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatha—submitted the Supreme Court’s observations in the court during the hearing.
The court inquired about the authenticity of the observations from the investigation officer and the FIA prosecutor affirmed that these observations were valid and correct. The FIA prosecutor informed the judge that the agency didn’t have any objection to the bail plea acceptance.
After hearing the arguments of all parties, the court ordered the release of Asad Toor against surety bonds worth Rs5,000. Earlier, Supreme Court Chief Justice QaziFaez Isa had remarked that the FIR against the journalist didn’t mention malicious judiciary campaigns and the judiciary was in fact, maligned by using its name in the case.
In January, the car¬e¬taker government had established a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe an alleged social media campaign against the judiciary following the Supreme Court’s ruling that stripped the PTI party of its bat symbol.
