The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing officer, Muhammad Asif Iqbal, who registered an FIR against Meesha Shafi and eight others over allegations of involvement in a smear campaign against Ali Zafar was suspended yesterday.
According to the suspension order issued by FIA Director (cybercrime wing) Amir Farooqi, an officer, Muhammad Asif Iqbal has been suspended till further notice.
“Service of Muhammad Asif Iqbal, assistant director/senior investigator (BPS-17) cybercrime reporting centre Lahore is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect till further orders.”
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According to Dawn, oddly the suspension order did not list the reason for Muhammad Asif Iqbal’s suspension. However, it is alleged that the FIA officer was suspended over a tweet regarding the FIR against Meesha Shafi and the law she was booked under.
“Mr. Iqbal has been suspended on the basis of a tweet he made to explain Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Media Crimes Act 2016, related to the case against Ms Shafi and others,”
Till the filing of this report, the suspended FIA officer had neither commented, nor opined on the matter. He just tweeted the law and the punishments it carried. He tweeted;
“Whoever publicly exhibits false information that harms the reputation of a person, is [committing] a crime U/S 20 of Cybercrime Act.”
Further explaining the punishment for charges under the law in Urdu.
“The law prescribes three years imprisonment or one million fine, or both, for a person involved in propagation of fake news through social media that harms the reputation of another person.”
Whoever publicly exhibits false information that harms the reputation of a person, is a crime U/S 20 of Cybercrime Act.
اگر سوشل میڈیا پرکسی شخص کےبارے Fake News غلط خبرکی تشہیر کی جائے جس سے اسکی بدنامی ہو، جرم ہے جسکی سزا 3 سال قید یا 10لاکھ روپے جرمانہ یا دونوں ہیں۔— Asif Iqbal Chaudhry (@Aasifiqbalpak) September 29, 2020
Official pressure to blame?
Prior to his suspension, a sitting minister’s daughter accused the FIA officer of being a spokesperson for Ali Zafar on social media and spearheaded a campaign against him.
She tweeted:
“Women, listen to what the State is telling us: we hear you but we really don’t care. As if the FIRs aren’t bad enough, the Assistant Director, FIA cybercrime Lahore is basically Ali Zafar’s personal spokesperson.”
Women, listen to what the State is telling us: "we hear you but we really dont care".
As if the FIRs arent bad enough, the Assistant Director, FIA Cybercrime Lahore is basically Ali Zafar's personal spokesperson.
This system is rotten to the core.
It needs to be dismantled. pic.twitter.com/MNYAQA6TGG
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) September 29, 2020
Sources claimed that ‘some influential persons‘ in Islamabad played a role in Muhammad Asif Iqbal’s suspension.
“The investigator had also faced pressure to file a counter FIR against Ali Zafar on similar grounds (running a smear campaign against Ms Shafi).”
A senior FIA official in Islamabad told Dawn Muhammad Asif Iqbal was suspended for being active on social media.
“The FIA officials, like other government employees, have been directed not to give their opinion on social media.”
Background of the case
Ali Zafar had filed a complaint with the FIA cybercrime wing, alleging that many social media accounts were posting ‘threats and defamatory material against him‘ back in November 2018. He provided details of some Twitter and Facebook accounts to support his claim.
He alleged these fake accounts had been created to launch a smear campaign against him weeks before Meesha Shafi came out with sexual harassment allegations against him in April 2018. He stated that most of these fake accounts were allegedly linked to Meesha Shafi and her lawyer.
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On Monday Meesha Shafi, actor-host Iffat Omar, Leena Ghani, Fariha Ayub, Maham Javaid, Ali Gul, Haseemuz Zaman Khan, Humna Raza, and Syed Faizan Raza were booked under section 20 (1) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and R/W 109-PPC.
The FIR states, in December 2019 Meesha Shafi appeared before the FIA with her team of lawyers but failed to produce any witness to back her sexual harassment allegations against Ali Zafar.
Ali Zafar’s defamation suit against Meesha Shafi is also pending in a sessions court.
State within state cannot be tolerated. The suspension of AD FIA is totally biased, illegal and on the basis of political pressure. This type of naya pakistan is no more needed.
m.r asif iqbal he is great person c.c.w intelligence more realated question for mesha shafi totally illegal attechment for elctronic media for inquairy other person and also check for mesha or other person back ground…
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I am interesting Jop I am in Pakistan