IHC stops FIA from arrests under PECA

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Islamabad High Court (I-HC) on Wednesday stopped Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to make arrests under section-20 of Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) and summoned attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) on Wednesday for assistance.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah, hearing the case, remarked that there shouldn’t be a defamation law for any public figure.
The court observed that the FIA had already submitted its SOPs and according to it no one should be arrested on complaint under section-20.
The court said that secretary interior ministry and director general Federal Investigation Agency would be responsible if the SOPs were not implemented.
Even Zimbabwe, Uganda and Congo, too had excluded the defamation from criminal laws, the court remarked.
Earlier, the petitioner’s lawyer Adil Aziz Qazi adopted the stance that government had amended section-20 of PECA through and Ordinance. The punishment had been increased from three year jail to five year term.
He said besides this a new section had also been added in the law. The advocate said that the senate session was prorogued on February 17 while the National Assembly’s session was scheduled for February 18, but it was canceled.
The petition was filed by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) before IHC.
The hearing was attended by anchor Hamid Mir, President PFUJ Shakeel Ahmed, President Islamabad High Court Journalist Association Saqib Bashir Chaudhry and other office bearer of journalists’ bodies.
IHC extends interim bail of Gondal: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday extended the interim bail of former chairman EOBI Zafar Gondal and others in a corruption case till March 15.
Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani heard the case filed by Zafar Gondal and accused Abdul Rauf.
The court instructed the official of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to give arguments on the interim bail on next hearing.