Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar grants bail to journalist & vlogger Asad Ali Toor

ISLAMABAD, March 16 (SABAH): Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar granted bail on Saturday to journalist and vlogger Asad Ali Toor in a case related to running a malicious campaign against the judiciary.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special prosecutor Ishtiaq Hussain Shah appeared before the court and informed that the agency had no objection to the vlogger being granted bail.

The petitioner, Asad Ali Toor, was represented by Advocates Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatha.

At the outset of the hearing, Advocate Chatha submitted the Supreme Court’s observation that journalists should not be booked over a social media campaign against superior judges.

At this, Judge Humayun Dilawar asked the investigation officer of the case and the FIA prosecutor if the Supreme Court’s observation being referred to was true. “Yes this observation is true,” the FIA official told the court.

Subsequently, the court accepted Toor’s bail plea against surety bonds of Rs5,000.

Separately, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also declared the call-up notices issued to Asad Ali Toor by the FIA against the law.

Issuing a seven-page written order on the vlogger’s plea against the FIA notices, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq maintained that the FIR was lodged after the wrongful issuing of notices.

The judge maintained that the relevant forum can be approached once the FIR is registered, adding that the court cannot order Toor’s release due to the bar on taking suo motu action.

Toor had challenged the notices dated February 23 and 26 before his arrest. The IHC had reserved its decision on the case on March 7.