The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to record the statements of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders summoned in connection with an inquiry into the party’s social media activity. The inquiry is centered around the “misuse” of PTI founder Imran Khan’s X account for disseminating “incendiary content” against state institutions.
The PTI leaders, including Barrister Gohar, Omar Ayub, and Raoof Hasan, were summoned by the FIA on May 26 regarding a video shared on Imran’s official account. The video attributed a quote to Imran, stating that every Pakistani should study the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report and identify the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The video also included images of the current civilian and military leadership, alleging they stole the party’s mandate in the general elections.
The PTI leaders have maintained that they had no involvement in the X account and were not operating it. They argued that the FIA’s notice was beyond its jurisdiction and that the proceedings initiated by the Cybercrime Reporting Centre lacked legal sanctity.
The IHC ordered the petitioners to appear before the concerned authority and record their statements. However, the court also warned the FIA against harassing the PTI leaders and directed that no adverse action be taken against them until the next date of hearing.
Separately, the IHC clarified that journalists were free to report on court proceedings, but irresponsible reporting was the problem. The court emphasized that there was no ban on court reporting and that the media could report on court proceedings as usual.
The FIA’s inquiry into the PTI’s social media activity has been ongoing for several weeks, with the agency seeking to determine whether the party’s leaders were involved in the misuse of Imran’s X account. The case has sparked controversy, with the PTI accusing the government of targeting the party through a “pre-planned attack.”