Post on WION Pakistan bureau chief's FB wall says he is okay, 'lawyers handling it', after FIA summons

Taha Siddiqui, WION's Pakistan bureau chief, who could not be traced all through Friday -- days after he accused Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency of harassment -- wrote in a cryptic Facebook response "I am ok... lawyers are dealing with it". Siddiqui had earlier posted about how there were constant attempts to hack into his FB account 

Siddiqui was summoned to appear before the FIA's counter-terrorism wing today, failing which he was threatened with action under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Pakistan daily, Dawn, had earlier reported.

On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court had restrained the FIA from harassing the journalist after he filed a writ petition. The high court also issued notices to two FIA officers including its director general.

In his petition, Siddiqui had pleaded he was reluctant to appear before the FIA because "once the person who is to be interrogated sets out to the FIA headquarters, he is either picked up and disappeared or detained illegally". 

Siddiqui also made the plea that "plain-clothed persons have conspicuously been pointing at his house". 

In a Facebook post on May 25, Taha Siddiqui wrote that the FIA was "pursuing action against me under counter-terrorism" despite the orders of the high court.
 

In a Facebook post on May 25, Taha Siddiqui wrote that the FIA was "pursuing action against me under counter terrorism". (Facebook)

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The FIA notice directed WION's bureau chief “to appear before the [FIA inspector] at police station FIA counterterrorism wing”, Dawn reported earlier today.

In his petition, Siddiqui also informed the court that FIA deputy director Noman Bodla called him on May 18, asking him to appear at the intelligence agency's headquarters for interrogation.

When asked about the reason behind the summons being issued, FIA deputy director told the journalist that the interrogation pertained to his reports and opinion pieces.

When Siddiqui replied that his work was in the public domain and any questions could be asked over the phone, Bodla told Siddiqui in a threatening tone and voice that it would "be better" for him to appear before it. 

(WION)