Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on Tuesday remarked that lies gained more traction on social media.
“The more you lie, the more it sells on social media,” the CJP observed while heading a three-judge bench hearing a petition against the Federal Investigation Agency’s notices to journalists.
During the hearing, the CJP inquired whether or not there was any mover of the application filed by Advocate Haider Waheed present in the court pertaining to media regulations.
The top judge called the attorney general for Pakistan to the rostrum and asked him if such a plea like the one filed by Advocate Waheed was not a misuse of the court.
The AGP replied that it was absolutely an abuse of process.
CJP Isa noted that the SC should call all movers of this application on notice. The AGP supported serving a notice to the movers.
Barrister Salahuddin, representing the Press Association of the SC, told the court that there was nothing urgent in the case.
When CJP asked where Advocate Waheed was, he was told that the lawyer wanted to withdraw the application related to media regulations.
CJP Isa noted that Advocate Waheed had not even attended the court. “Would this application ensure or further restrict freedom of expression?” he inquired.
The top judge wondered who the movers of the application were.
“On what basis was this application filed since 2022? Have those objectives been fulfilled?” he asked.
The CJP noted that some of the applicants were from Chakwal and others from Islamabad.
“What was the common interest that brought these applicants together? the top judge inquired.
The CJP observed that there was a great deal of “selective reporting” in the media, adding that it would not be reported that the six applicants of this plea were disappeared.
“That’s why we said we will run our YouTube channel.”
Barrister Salahuddin opined that applications related to public interest could not be withdrawn.
The CJP asked Barrister Salahuddin if they had reached an out-of-court settlement with these people.
Barrister Salahuddin replied that they were a journalistic body and lacked the means of reaching such a settlement.
CJP Isa remarked that it was not necessary to have money for this purpose.
“It may also been said to give good publicity to my news in the future.”
The top judge inquired whether or not there was any other urgent matter. Barrister Salahuddin referred to the case of journalist Matiullah Jan.
The CJP observed that if he would call a case to be an open and shut one, it was that of Matiullah Jan as there was a video of his abduction.
The top judge remarked that why the government did not advertise in the newspapers it was looking for these people.
