Bilal Farooqi is a senior Pakistani journalist, known as a vocal critic of the military, government, and religious extremist groups.[1]
Bilal Farooqi |
|---|
Journalistic Career
editOn September 11, 2020, Farooqi, affiliated with The Express Tribune as a news editor at the time, was booked and arrested from his residence in Karachi for posting allegedly anti-military and sectarian posts on social media.[2]
According to the Karachi police chief, Farooqi was booked under Sections 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Sections 11 and 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). He was released on September 12 on a ‘personal bail’ of his lawyer, Jibran Nasir, after the police’s preliminary investigation report showed that he had not committed any offense under Pakistan Penal Code’s Section 505 and Section 500. However, the two other accusations against him still stand.[3][4]
Protest
editAfter a court hearing on September 12, a protest was staged outside the Karachi Press Club seeking ‘justice’ for Farooqi. The protesters chanted slogans for freedom of expression and press in Pakistan.[5]
Farooqi believes that the motive behind his arrest was to end criticism of the state policies.[6]
He had tweeted criticisms of the march staged by a Sunni hardline group, the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, and questioned the authorities over their allowing an organisation that had been designated as “terrorist” to organise the event. Even though Farooqi was released from police custody, he is still facing the same court charges.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Pakistani journalist arrested for defaming military". 11 September 2020.
- ^ "Express Tribune journalist Bilal Farooqi arrested in Karachi for 'defaming Pakistan Army'". 11 September 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan: The Tribune journalist arrested and later released". 12 September 2020.
- ^ { https {Cite web|url=://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-police-release-journalist-accused-of-defaming-army-idUSKBN2630ON/|title =Pakistani police release journalist accused of defaming army/|date = 12 September 2020}}
- ^ "Judicial magistrate asks police to file challan in journalist Bilal Farooqi case". 12 September 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan's new regulations aim to 'silence the internet'". 2 December 2020.
- ^ [www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2021/1/6/wadi-e-hussain-a-graveyard-for-pakistani-shia/ "Wadi-e-Hussain: A graveyard for Pakistan's Shia victims"]. 6 January 2021.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help)