The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday fixed for hearing the petition filed against the arrests and harassment of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) social media activists on the same day, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah will start hearing the case shortly.

Earlier in the morning, PTI leader Ali Nawaz Awan filed the petition in which he had made secretary interior, inspector general of police (IGP), Islamabad, IGP, Punjab, Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and DG FIA Cyber Crime Wing respondents and said that raids were being conducted on the homes of PTI social media activists in blatant violation of the laws. “Not only that, the FIA personnel also harass the families of these activists during their raids,” read the petition. 

Awan said it had come to the PTI high-command’s notice that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had even prepared lists of the party workers in order to target them. “The FIA is raiding our activists’ homes at the behest of the ruling party,” read the petition. 

It was further stated in the petition that the freedom of expression was an inalienable right of each and every citizen, and hence could not be ignored. 

PTI leader prayed to the court to order the FIA to stop harassing the party social media activists.

The petitioner also sought court order for a strict action against those violating the privacy of activists’ families. 

Reference was also given in the petition to the IHC CJ’s ruling in which he had declared the PECA Amendment Ordinance null and void.     

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani