By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan said on Monday that journalists should not face criminal charges for expressing their honest opinions on judicial verdicts if they do not engage in a smear campaign against the judges.
The court was hearing a case on the harassment of journalists by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which had issued notices to over a dozen reporters for allegedly defaming the judiciary on social media.
The court ordered the Attorney General to submit a report on the status of investigations and actions taken in relation to previous incidents of attacks on journalists, such as Matiullah Jan, Imran Shafqat, and Aamir Mir.
The Attorney General assured the court that no criminal cases would be registered against journalists for criticizing the judgments, as it was not a crime under the constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.
He said journalists should maintain a balance between the requirements of dignity and freedom of expression.
The Chief Justice said that fair criticism was not only the right of journalists but also every citizen and the court would protect their freedom of expression.
He said he did not mind if someone made fun of him, but mocking the judiciary would harm the country and violate the constitutional limits on criticism.
The court initiated the case on a joint resolution of the press associations of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court, who had expressed concern over the FIA’s actions against journalists.
The court also clubbed an earlier case on the same issue, which was initiated in 2021 at the request of the Supreme Court press association.
The court noted that it was alleged that the actions against journalists, who were picked up or assaulted, were carried out by intelligence agencies, which were under the control and command of the federal government.
The court also directed that the investigation officers probing these attacks should not be hampered in any way while conducting the investigations.
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