Supreme Court quashes treason case against President ARY News Ammad Yousaf

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed a first information report (FIR) registered against President ARY News Ammad Yousaf in connection with a sedition case, ARY News reported.

A three-member SC bench – comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Shahid Waheed – heard the case, quashing sedition case against President ARY News Ammad Yousaf.

Today’s land mark judgement by the Supreme Court finally has quashed a frivolous FIR and a bogus case of sedition on me – an outcome I could not have achieved without the support of many who stood by me. I extend my heartfelt thanks to my CEO & big brother Mr. Salman Iqbal, for… pic.twitter.com/cFZezfEt3x

— Ammad Yousaf (@AmmadYousaf) October 17, 2023

In a written verdict – authored by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, the Supreme Court noted that the petitioner was implicated in the case as “during the investigation, on the pretext that as director…he conspired with the main accused for the commission of the alleged offences,” by airing the interview of former prime minister’s aide Shahbaz Gill.

“In order to protect and promote such rights, the State must exercise its power and authority in accordance with the Constitution,” the written verdict added.

“We have observed that, politically motivated FIRs are being registered for offences mentioned in Section 196 of the Code, mostly against politicians, political workers, media persons, and human rights activists, and in some cases against their family members as well,” the order stated.

According to the order, it was hard to believe that the chosen representatives of the people, political activists, right activists and media persons can “indulge themselves in anti-State activities”.

“The act of indulging its citizens in malicious and frivolous prosecution by the Government without any substance on the plea that the thoughts are anti-state, amounts to undermining the constitutional command and as such, depriving citizens from their fundamental rights of freedom of movement, assembly, speech, and right to information,” it added.

The verdict further stated that such misuse of authority by state “creates a sense of fear and insecurity in the society, which results into hatred against the State’s institutions”.

“In such a hostile atmosphere, the media cannot also perform its functions freely, rather it will undermine the freedom of speech, expression, and access to information of the citizens, resulting into mistrust in the institutions,” it added.

The Supreme Court also said that the state must develop an atmosphere of tolerance, to promote political and social justice; to create a habit of listening to healthy criticism, which is the beauty of democracy.

“Thus, the Government must accept the will of the people, instead of considering its critics and political opponents as enemy of the State, to avert hatred and mistrust of citizens upon the institutions, by refraining itself from misusing the power and authority and to avoid malicious, baseless and frivolous prosecution against its citizens,” the judgment concluded.