Journalist Khalid Jamil, who was arrested from his house in Islamabad yesterday, was handed over to the Federal Invesitgation Agency by a session court on Friday.
A report by the BBC said that Jamil was presented infron of Session Judge Bashir Bhatti, where the FIA requested a 10-day remand. The Agency said that it had taken Jamil’s gadgets into custody and was trying to access his accounts.
However, Jamil’s lawyer strongly opposed the remand saying that filing the case was against the journalist’s right to free speech. They asked for the case to be dismissed entirely.
The judge sent Jamil on a two-day remand after which he will be presented in court again.
Jamil was arrested on Thursday from his house in Media Town on Thursday. A photo of him had emerged later, showing Jamil holding a page with the his indentification information, address and FIR number on it.
Jamil has been booked under Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with public mischief.
The FIR against Jamil says he was found sharing and propagating highly ‘intimidating’ posts on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
It also says that he misinterpreted and disseminated ‘anti-state’ narrtives. The FIR said his statements can incite people to commit crimes gainst state or public tranquility.
The FIR also adds that his statements tried to promote ill-will among pillars of state and tried to provoke the public against institutions inluding judiciary.
