ATC court blocked IDs of journalists Sabir Shakir and Moeed Pirzada

An Anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad blocked the national identity cards (IDs) of journalists Sabir Shakir, Moeed Pirzada, and Shaheen Sehbai. They have also seized their assets due to their alleged involvement in a case involving violence, incitement, and provocation.

The court declared them absconders in the alleged case as they could not present themselves before ATC. The absconder journalists are currently residing in abroad countries.

*ATC court orders FIA and NADRA to prosecute prominent journalists and YouTubers*

Hence, the court ordered the Deputy Commissioner to seize the moveable and fixed assets. It further directed the Director General of FIA to block their passports and the Chairman of NADRA to block their identity cards and NICOPs. NICOPs refer to National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis.

ATC court also blocked the IDs of YouTubers Haider Mehdi, Wajahat S Khan, and Adil Raja, among senior journalists, including Sabir Shakir and Moeed Pirzada. The YouTubers are also facing charges of violence and provocation among the public against the state.

Meanwhile, the International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) has condemned these legal proceedings against accused personnel. It raised concerns about freedom of speech in Pakistan.

The International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) strongly condemns the vicious persecution of independent journalists living in exile abroad by the authoritarian state of Pakistan. It is a well-known fact that independent journalists cannot voice dissent against the military-led… pic.twitter.com/wJ9auJZfBL
— International Human Rights Foundation (@IHRF_English) June 25, 2024

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The prosecution’s witnesses have testified against the accused journalists and YouTubers. The court has recorded their remarks and asked for a compliance report within 15 days regarding this case.

A compliance report is a formal document that verifies an organization’s compliance with laws and regulations. ATC judge Tahir Abbas Supra of the court has given all relevant departments until July 10 to submit their reports. He ordered it in his issued written order.

It is significant to note that absconder journalists and YouTubers are currently residing in foreign countries. Since the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, several journalists and YouTubers have faced harassment, arrests, and attacks, including these accused persons.

Following a severe crackdown, the accused Pakistani personalities have escaped the country to avoid legal proceedings against them. They consider it a targeted, biased, and unfair trial based on their support for Imran Khan.