ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigative Agency’s cybercrime wing arrested senior journalist Mohsin Baig in a raid at his residence, confirmed Baig’s son.
The sources clued in on the developments informed that an FIA member was injured in an exchange of fire during the raid. The grounds behind Baig’s arrest have not yet been disclosed by the authority.
Earlier, a few days back, Baig appeared in a talk show at a private news media outlet where he leveled veiled allegations on the personal life of Prime Minister Imran Khan. A social media campaign began on his statements, prompting reactions from the government and opposition leaders.
More police contingent has been called at Baig’s residence to arrest his son, said sources. The journalist has been shifted to Margalla police station and the Islamabad police have registered a terrorism case against him.
Baig’s counsel while speaking to the media alleged that plain cloth police officials raided early morning at his client’s residential place without a legal warrant, further adding that they misbehaved with the family members and broke accessories during the arrest.
In a video released to the news media channels, it can be seen Baig firing at the FIA personnel before his arrest.
In a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, the federal ministers expressed serious reservations over the unchecked defamatory social media campaigns. Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Ijaz Ahmed Shah reportedly said that a series of disgusting campaigns against the premier is unprecedented in the country’s chequered history.
Read more: Govt to introduce strong defamation laws, says Fawad Chaudhry
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in his press briefing after the cabinet meeting informed that the cabinet has recommended the law ministry to devise strong legislations against defamation campaigns on social and electronic media.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has also issued a show-cause notice to the private news media outlet for airing what it called derogatory/demeaning remarks about Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and Prime Minister Imran Khan without any editorial check in a Thursday show.
Read more: Khawaja Asif defamation case: IHC directs PM Imran to file response
The regulatory authority says the remarks were in ‘sheer violation’ of the Pemra Ordinance 2002; several clauses of the Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015 and the orders of the Supreme Court in a 2018 suo motu case. The regulatory body directed the channel’s CEO to reply in writing within four days as to why legal action including a fine, suspension and revocation of licence along with other measures should not be initiated.
