FIA launches probe against journalist Sami Abraham under PECA law

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a probe against a senior journalist Sami Abraham under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), ARY News reported.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government initiated revengeful actions against the journalists. The FIA started a probe against the journalist Sami Abraham after the registration of a case.

Abraham has been summoned on May 13 to the FIA cybercrime reporting centre. The journalist has been accused of levelling false allegations against senior government functionaries.

READ: IHC DECLARES PECA ORDINANCE NULL AND VOID

The vice-president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Lala Asad Pathan said that the federal government should change its pattern instead of targeting journalists. He said that the voice of journalists could not be suppressed.

Lala Asad Pathan said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) nullified all regulations of the PECA and all journalists’ associations considered it a black law. He criticised that FIA registered a case against a journalist despite receiving orders from the premier.

Prior to Abraham’s case, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed a petition in the SC to challenge the IHC order which declared the amended PECA Section 20 as ‘unconstitutional‘.

In its petition, the intel agency stated that the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has been provided relief by the high court without any legal justification, whereas, the IHC also misinterpreted Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.

READ: PECA: GOVT WITHDRAWS FIA PETITION AGAINST IHC ORDER IN SC

It added that the IHC judgement will encourage lawbreakers after the nullification of PECA’s Section 20. The FIA sought suspension of the IHC’s April 8 verdict.

However, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced later that the government is withdrawing the petition filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to challenge the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order regarding the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment ordinance in the Supreme Court (SC).

While announcing the withdrawal of the FIA petition, she wrote, “Please note that this petition stands withdrawn immediately, as it is squarely against the government’s stated policy and the principle of standing for and ensuring freedom of expression. The prime minister has taken strict notice of the filing of this petition.”