IHC CJ grills FIA for showing ‘apathy’

Expressing annoyance over the failure of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit its reply in senior journalist Absar Alam case, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday again issued notice to the Agency, seeking reply by September 20, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During the hearing of a petition filed by the journalist against the notice issued to him by the FIA, IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah regretted that despite the fact that the first notice had been sent on March 22, the FIA had not responded as yet.

Usman Warraich, Iman Mazari, Sajid Tanoli and Colonel (r) Inamur Raheem, members of the Journalists Defence Committee, attended the hearing.

Speaking on the occasion, counsel for the FIA told the court that a lawyer had lodged a complaint against Absar.

CJ Minallah, on the occasion, remarked that one could get a case registered against the person who, he or she thinks, had tarnished his or her image.

The lawyer representing the FIA prayed to the court to merge the case pending against the Agency with the one under review now.

The chief justice remarked that the IHC was seeing to it that the FIA did not misuse its powers. “Your actions will open a Pandora Box against you,” he said while addressing FIA’s lawyer.

Deputy Attorney General, on the occasion, told the court that the Agency had become quite careful in the exercise of its powers.

CJ Minallah said that this court’s only order was that FIA should work as per the rules and regulations. “Social media has emerged as a big challenge for us since many a time fake news are doing rounds on it as part of a ‘particular agenda’,” he remarked.

He further said that any department or organisation going beyond its limits was not right. “It has become a habit with the FIA that it pats on the back of those whose comments it likes while sends notices to those whose comments irritate it,” he added.

The IHC then adjourned the hearing in the case until September 20.