Rawalpindi citizen files complaint against Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor for defaming 'state institutions'
May 30, 2021
Rawalpindi [Pakistan], May 30 : A Rawalpindi citizen has launched a complaint against journalist Asad Ali Toor, who was recently attacked by three masked men at his residence in Islamabad, with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Complainant accused Toor of "working under an organised conspiracy to defame state institutions", reported Geo News.
It has called for legal action against the journalist and also seeks closure of Toor's YouTube channel.
The citizen said that he watched Toor's video on social media on May 27, "where he had levelled allegations against state institutions".
"He is working under an organised conspiracy to defame state institutions," alleged the complainant.
Earlier this week, three masked men assaulted the journalist at his home in Islamabad. Closed-circuit television camera footage obtained by Geo News showed three suspects wearing masks leaving Toor's apartment afterwards.
The video also showed an injured Toor walking out of the apartment with his hands and feet tied, calling for help. He was later taken to a hospital.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on Saturday denied allegations of attacking journalist Asad Ali Toor and said that it is being "targeted under an organised conspiracy."
The remarks came in response to allegations levelled against the agency after an attack on journalist Asad Ali Toor earlier this week.
According to Geo News, a high-level meeting on the incident was convened between the ISI and the Ministry of Information, following which a statement was released on behalf of the country's apex intelligence agency.
"The continuation of such allegations shows that the ISI is being targeted under an organised conspiracy," said the statement, stressing that the agency had nothing to do with the incident.
"The attackers who came into my apartment themselves introduced that they are ISI guys. Before the attack, I never saw them. I don't know for sure if they really are ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) but I will rely on their statement. They are saying they are ISI guys. Now its police's job to find out that they are," the Pakistani journalist told German publication, Deutsche Welle, in an interview.
On the increasing number of attacks on journalists, Toor said, "Under this regime, we have seen a spike in the attacks on the journalists. The reason for this is because the state of Pakistan has done so many illegal things. Now they get frustrated because those illegal acts didn't deliver."
According to the Freedom Network's annual state of the Press Freedom 2021 report, Pakistan has emerged as the riskiest place to practice journalism.
