Citing lack of evidence, the Session Court in Karachi has dismissed the case of cyber terrorism against journalist Shahzeb Jilani who was charged defamatory remarks against security and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan.
During the hearing on May 18, the court has declared that the First Information Report (FIR) against Jilani is non maintainable and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has failed to produce substantial evidences against the journalist.
FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on April 6, 2019 had lodged FIR against Jilani and other staff members of Dunya News television channel under the Pakistan Penal Code and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
The FIA had booked the journalist in a case registered under Sections 10 (a) (cyber terrorism), 11 (electronic forgery) and 20 (malicious code) of the Pakistan Electronic Crime Act, 2016, on the complaint of Moulvi Iqbal Haider, a resident of Karachi.
According to the complainant, Jilani on December 6, 2017 in the program ‘Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath’ had passed comments against the security forces of Pakistan, he stated that “law enforcement agencies are directly involved in the kidnapping of citizens, which leads towards the missing persons.” On March 18, 2019 Jilani, in the same program, stated “law enforcement agencies were directly or indirectly alleged for negatively influencing the democratic system of Pakistan.”
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