By our correspondent
KARACHI: The Karachi Union of Journalists has called for the immediate withdrawal of a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act against senior journalist Aslam Shah and urged that he be released without delay.
In a strongly worded statement, the union criticised what it described as deliberate delays by the state prosecutor and the investigating officer of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. These, it said, were obstructing Shah’s right to seek bail and preventing the case from moving forward.
On Monday, Shah’s bail could not be secured after proceedings were once again postponed. A judicial magistrate adjourned the hearing until Wednesday. Shah, a former Karachi Press Club council member, has been in custody under cybercrime provisions following a complaint from an official of the Karachi Water Board, triggered by a news report he had published.
His bail application was heard by a link judge after a series of procedural lapses. Shah’s lawyer, Nasser Ahmed, chairman of the International Lawyer Forum, attended court. However, the investigating officer from the Federal Investigation Agency failed to appear, and the case file was not produced. The public prosecutor and the regular presiding judge were also absent, and Shah himself was not presented in court. The magistrate issued a notice to the investigating officer, directing him to appear at the next hearing.
Journalist bodies have criticised the case, arguing that cybercrime laws are increasingly being used against reporters for performing their professional duties. KUJ president Ejaz Ahmed, general secretary Lubna Jarrar Naqvi, and other office-bearers said Shah had only reported alleged corruption involving government officials, who in turn had misused the cybercrime law to have a case registered against him.
The union said the repeated absence of government lawyers and investigating officers had unnecessarily delayed proceedings, prolonging Shah’s detention. KUJ described the situation as deeply troubling, warning that such practices could erode confidence in the justice system and place journalists under constant threat. They appealed to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court to take notice and ensure that justice is not denied through procedural delays.
