A court in Islamabad Wednesday declared Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) raid at journalist Mohsin Baig’s residence illegal, hours after he had been arrested.
“…illegal raid was conducted at the house of [Baig] by irrelevant persons who were not authorised to do so,” Additional Sessions Judge Islamabad West Zafar Iqbal said in the judgement of a petition filed against the journalist’s arrest.
In the five-page judgement, the additional sessions judge noted that the first information report (FIR) against Baig was lodged at an FIA cybercrime reporting centre of the agency in Lahore on behalf of federal minister Murad Saeed.
Earlier in the day, Islamabad police arrested a former senator and analyst from outside his residence hours after he along with his son attacked and held an unarmed raiding Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team at gunpoint, the agency said.
In a press statement, the agency said personnel from its cybercrime wing raided the house of Mohsin Baig after securing a search and seizure warrant from the relevant court.
@FIA_Agency pic.twitter.com/CfDBixEtIh
— Federal Investigation Agency – FIA (@FIA_Agency) February 16, 2022
But as soon as the team reached his residence, Baig, his son and staff opened fire at the team and made two officials hostage.
The agency said Baig was arrested after he ran out of bullets and was taken to Margalla police station where legal proceedings against him were underway.
Baig’s family told reporters that police and officials from the agency raided his house in the morning and took him away “without giving any reason” for the arrest.
But the footage making rounds on social media show the suspects, all armed to the teeth, taking the team hostage and firing multiple rounds in the air.
It also shows Baig hitting one of the officials in the head with his handgun. The official was shifted to a nearby for treatment.
Just In: an FIA cyber-wing team was taken hostage by journalist Mohsin Baig.
â– FIA team reached his residence to arrest him after he made comments about a federal minister on a TV show.
â– He was later arrested, along with his sons. FIA team recovered weapons as well. pic.twitter.com/ZtwPZsY5PV
— South Asia Index (@SouthAsiaIndex) February 16, 2022
The FIA conducted the raid on the complaint of Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who registered a first information report (FIR) against Baig at a cybercrime reporting centre of the agency in Lahore, accusing the former senator of “character assassination” by using “immoral and abusive language”.
Baig had just days earlier suggested on a chat show that Prime Minister Imran Khan had “shown favouritism” by granting an award to a minister.
Khan had ranked Saeed as the top performer among his Cabinet. Baig, when asked by the anchor to comment on the move, responded he didn’t know but the reason was “written in [Khan’s former spouse] Reham Khan’s book”.
The complaint was registered under Sections 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), 21-D (offences against modesty of a natural person and minor) and 24 (cyberstalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 read with Sections 500 (defaming army officers) and 555 (statement conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The programme had attracted a flurry of criticism from the government and NewsOne, the channel that aired the show, was temporarily taken off air by cable networks.
The Pakistan ElecÂtronic Media Regulatory AuthÂority (PEMRA) also issued a show-cause notice to the channel for airing “unethical” comments about a minister.
‘ASSAULT ON THE STATE’
During a press talk later in the day, Shahbaz Gill, sssistant to the prime minister on political communication, said Baig resorted to [violence] and fired at police and other law enforcers”.
“He pointed a gun at the state and the state will now respond to him,” Gill said.
He also questioned the credentials of Baig as a journalist. “Just tell me which newspaper or a TV channel he works for?” he asked reporters.
He observed that Baig ran an advertising agency and later established a dummy online news agency. “I must clarify that he is not a journalist.”
FIA MISBEHAVED WITH FAMILY: LAWYER
Meanwhile, Baig’s counsel, Raheel Niazi, moved a petition in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal, seeking recovery of his client. The judge appointed a bailiff and ordered Baig to be produced before the court.
Talking to the media outside the court, Niazi said “some men in civvies” barged into Baig’s residence in the morning. When they were asked to identify themselves, they refused, following which an altercation took place, he claimed.
Niazi said when he reached the scene on Baig’s request he saw that the neighbourhood superintendent and deputy superintendent of police were there as well.
He said the police officials were told that Baig was ready to go with them if arrest warrants were present.
“The SP said ‘I will return with the warrant.’ He went out and told the people in civvies to go inside and attack. Then they entered the home — no clue who they were nor did they show their wallets — and misbehaved with the family member, slapped children and snatched and broke mobile phones and cameras,” he claimed.
ATTACK ON PRESS FREEDOM
Baig’s arrest drew condemnation from the journalists on social media. Witnesses say police were still present at Baig’s home, although no other details were immediately available.
National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif said the arrest showed how “panicked the regime is” since “Baig was once a friend” of Khan.
Arrest of Mohsin Baig, once a fast friend of IK, shows how panicked the regime is. Niazi sb gives long sermons on democray & morality but cannot stand even minor criticism. Free speech has vastly been curtailed in last 3.5 years of his rule. It is worst time in nation’s history.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) February 16, 2022
“Things are getting from bad to worse for the media in Pakistan,” wrote anchor Munizae Jahangir.
Baig “must be released and we condemn the government for using law enforcement agencies to attack journalists in this manner”.
Shocking news today, things are getting from bad to worse for the media in Pakistan. #mohsinbaig must be released and we condemn the government for using law enforcement agencies to attack journalists in this manner. https://t.co/xzRdF0CWN1
— Munizae Jahangir (@MunizaeJahangir) February 16, 2022
Economic Advisory Group chief Javed Hassan deplored that “PPP senators and other journalists demanding his release” despite Baig “directly points and shoots his pistol at the camera after beating up” the officials.
Those wanting to provide mitigation for #mohsinbaig here’s the view from the front of the above video clipping. He directly points and shoots his pistol at the camera after beating up the the #FIA officer. And yet there PPP senators and other journalists demanding his release pic.twitter.com/JZgdV3nt7H
— Javed Hassan (@javedhassan) February 16, 2022
