Jameel Farooqui was presented before the judicial magistrate Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday by Islamabad Police after completion of his two-day physical remand. The prosecutor plead before the court to hand over the case to FIA for further investigation. The police also requested a three-days transit remand of Jameel Farooqui to present him before Islamabad Court.
During the hearing, Jameel Farooqui informed the court that his family is not aware of his arrest, upon which the magistrate ordered the investigation officer to inform the family of Jameel Farooqui about his arrest.
The prosecutor argued that Jameel Farooqui had insulted state institutions in a vlog for which he was arrested and his mobile phone was taken into custody. Furthermore, the prosecutor requested the court to hand over the case to FIA as the police has completed its investigation.
During the hearing, FIA said that it would carry out further investigation into the case if the case is transferred to the agency.
Advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq, representing Jameel Farooqui, plead before the court that his client has no link to the allegations levelled against him, therefore, he should be released from the case.
Read More: Watch: Shahbaz Gill raises voice for Jameel Farooqui while going to jail
After hearing all the concerned parties, the court decided to hand over Jameel Farooqui to FIA for further investigation. The court ordered the police to present the anchorperson before FIA magistrate on Friday.
Youtuber and BOL News TV anchor, Jameel Farooqui was arrested from Karachi on charge of falsely accusing Islamabad Police of torturing Shahbaz Gill. Upon his arrest a Karachi court transferred him to the custody of Islamabad Police to transit him to the federal capital.
An FIR has been registered against Jameel Farooqui in the Ramna Police station of Islamabad.
Jameel Farooqui has been a vocal critic of the incumbent government and he had accused the Islamabad Police of physically and sexually assaulting Shahbaz Gill.
PTI criticized the government for arresting Jameel Farooqui. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar wrote in a tweet that Jameel Farooqui was stripped naked and tortured, this proves that there is no law in the country.
جمیل فاروقی کو برہنہ کر کے تشدد. اس سب سے صرف ایک بات ثابت کی جا رہی ہے، کے ملک میں کوئی قانون نہیں. قانون کی خلاف ورزی کی ہے تو عدالت میں پیش کریں. غیر انسانی سلوک کر کے نفرتیں پھیلانے کے علاوہ کیا حاصل ہو گا؟
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 22, 2022
Meanwhile the Committee to Protect Journalists, an international non-profit organization working for freedom of press, has urged Pakistani authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release journalist Jameel Farooqui, and cease harassing him”.
Read More: Journalists condemn arrest of TV anchor Jameel Farooqui