Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that no action would be taken against the journalists over the notices issued by the FIA till Feb 8 polls.
The suo motu case of harassment of journalists was adjourned till the first week of March.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is hearing the case. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali are the other members of bench.
At the outset of the hearing, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan came to the rostrum while Press Association of the Supreme Court counsel Jahangir Jadoon read the court order that was announced on Monday.
“Who is the mysterious force that is running the country,” the chief justice asked during the hearing. He asked why did the journalists not move a fresh petition in the case. Aqeel Afzal, president of Press Association of the Supreme Court, said they didn’t get the complete list of notices issued to the journalists.
Against the backdrop of a smear campaign against judges, the FIA had issued notices to over a dozen journalists and called them on Monday (Jan 29). The CJP observed that he did not mind if “someone makes fun of him but mocking the judiciary brings harm to the country, reminding the limits the Constitution imposes on criticism”.
The suo motu notice was taken on a joint resolution of the Press Association of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association. In the roster, an earlier case on the same issue instituted in 2021 also at the request of the PAS was clubbed with the instant case.
According to AGP Awan, the benchmark will remain that journalists should keep a balance between the requirements of Article 14 — which ensures the dignity of man — and Article 19 which ensures freedom of speech. He added that criticism should be targeted towards the judgement.
“The benchmark, however, will remain that the criticism should be targeted towards the judgement instead of becoming part of a smear campaign against the judges,” the AGP said.
CJP Isa said ‘fair criticism’ was not only the right of journalists but also of every citizen; therefore, no criminal action could be initiated if the criticism was related to judgement as stipulated under Article 19. He said the court would ensure freedom of expression for every journalist.
