Islamabad based journalist Asad Ali Toor was released from Adiala Jail on Saturday after a trial court approved his bail in a case about an online campaign against the judiciary.

Special Judge Central Humayun Dilawar conducted the hearing of the case. Advocates Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatha presented petitioner Toor.

At the outset of the hearing, Advocate Chatha submitted the Supreme Court’s observation that journalists should not be booked over a social media campaign against superior judges.

Judge Dilawar asked the investigation officer of the case and the FIA prosecutor if the SC’s observation being referred to was true. “Yes this observation is true,” the FIA official told the court.

The court accepted Toor’s bail plea against surety bonds of Rs5,000. The journalist was later released.

Toor was arrested on Feb 26 and faced charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act for allegedly launching a malicious campaign against state institutions, leading to his being remanded into custody and eventually to jail.

Later, the Islamabad High Court intervened and ordered an expedited bail hearing for Toor, which had been postponed to March 18 due to the investigating officer’s illness.

In January, the caretaker government had established a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe an alleged social media campaign against the judiciary following the SC’s ruling that stripped PTI party of its bat symbol.