ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of alleged harassment of journalists, Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday summoned senior government officials on the next hearing along with reports on the matter.
A two-member bench of the court, comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, issued notices to FIA DG, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, secretary interior, secretary information and secretary Ministry of Human Rights.
Press Association of Supreme Court had filed a petition in the apex court. Similarly, the judge also issued notices to the bodies of journalists namely CPNE, APNS, PBA and PFUJ.
Justice Isa also directed the concerned officials to submit reports on the progress made in the cases of harassment of journalists. Likewise, he also ordered production of footage of the Safe City Project in the court and details of the expenditures incurred on it.
The SC directed the Ministry of Information to give details of the number of ads given to different media organisations and also names of those organisations. The court directed that all written replies be submitted by August 26, the date of next hearing of the case.
Justice Isa the apex court had taken notice of the matter in public interest under Article 184/3 since harassing journalists and gagging the media fell in the domain of public interest.
