JIT formed to probe malicious campaign against judges

The caretaker federal government has formed a six-member joint investigation team (JIT) to conduct an investigation into the ongoing malicious campaign on social media against the judges of the Supreme Court and submit a preliminary report to the Ministry of Interior within 15 days.

The JIT is headed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing additional director general and includes Grade-20 officers of the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence, Islamabad deputy inspector general of police as well as a Grade-20 officer of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and another officer.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday, under Section 30 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, the JIT has been tasked to investigate the origins and motives behind the campaign.

Read more: Ministry condemns campaign against judge

It stated that the terms of reference of the JIT include ascertaining facts behind the malicious social media campaign attempting to malign the image of honorable judges of the Supreme Court, identifying and bringing the culprits to book in accordance with relevant laws and causing presentation of challans in the concerned courts, and recommending measures for prevention against occurrence of such incidents in the future.

Earlier, Supreme Court Bar Association President Shehzad Shaukat, Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Haroonur Rashid and other officials held a joint news conference, condemning criticising institutions and judges and demanded that action be taken against those who were involved in the campaign.

Also read: Pressure tactics: Why targeting judiciary becomes a norm

Rashid said that the PTI conducted the so-called intra-party elections at a village. “The decision of the Supreme Court regarding the election symbol against the PTI is in accordance with the Constitution and the law.”

Shaukat strongly condemns the move to target the judges and “the way of criticising the institutions and judges”.

PBC Executive Committee Chairman Hasan Raza Pasha said that morally, the bat symbol should have been allotted, but legally, the PTI did not conduct the intra-party elections, urging the FIA to conduct an investigation into the campaign against the chief justice of Pakistan.

PBC Vice Chairman Rashid said the way the PTI conducted the intra-party elections, everything was proved during the court proceedings.

The SCBA president said that the judiciary is targeted when a decision is taken against the will. “The campaign against the judiciary is condemnable. The Supreme Court Bar Association stands with the Pakistan Bar Council. Institutions should look into the issue of anti-judiciary derogatory campaign on social media.”

Pasha said the fact that the case was pending at the Lahore High Court was hidden. “Morally, the mark of the bat should have been given. Legally, intra-party elections were not conducted.

“As an officer of the court, one should be careful in the choice of words.”

He said that the lawyers’ community would not tolerate such anti-judiciary campaign, urging the PTI and the FIA to take action against those who were campaigning against the chief justice of Pakistan.

Former PBC chairman Qalb-e-Hassan said that the Supreme Court did not pronounce the decision while sitting in the chamber. Before the decision was taken, the entire nation saw the court proceedings directly, he added.