Islamabad [Pakistan], February 29 : The arrest and ongoing remand of prominent Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor is yet again highlighted amongst the media professionals of Pakistan.
According to the latest developments in the Toor case, legal hires have informed on Thursday that the health of the remanded journalist has been deteriorating fast after the arrest by Pakistan's Federal Investigative Agency on Monday.
https://twitter.com/alihamzaisb/status/1763142484245311950
The two legal representatives of Toor after meeting him, in a video stated that "we and Toor's mother were able to meet him after a court order. Asad Toor has been on a hunger strike for last 36 hours, his health has been deteriorating fast, and yesterday a doctor had to be summoned for his medical attention".
Furthermore, the legal representatives also stated that "As Asad had told us, none of the questions asked by the investigators, relate to the FIR or offence that has been filed against him. All the questions asked to him currently are related to the Army establishment, they have been asking him particular questions related to Army generals".
"They (the investigators) have been referring to his every vlog and asking him like why did he expose, the particular army general and why have you been doing that? This has been mentally pressurizing him a lot, and his mental health is getting worse by the day. His mother is an elderly woman of 78 years. Reaching her son in the FIA building was a very difficult task for her and this was saddening. We now in the future will ensure that he gets every right of representation in court that has been assured by law"
Taking the matter to social media platform 'X' another prominent journalist from Pakistan Hamid Mir stated that "Journalist Asad Toor is on hunger strike in the detention of FIA."
Currently the journalist community of Pakistan has been especially expressing their concerns and strong opposition regarding the matter. Previously, several prominent journalists, along with social and political activists, held a protest outside the National Press Club Pakistan demanding the withdrawal of the FIR against journalist Asad Ali Toor.
During the protest, the journalist fraternity shouted slogans against the government, criticising the frequent arrests and the suppression of free speech in Pakistan. The journalists carried placards that read, "Release Asad Toor, Open X and Lift Restrictions on the Internet," and "Journalism is not a crime."
In a post on X, Pakistani journalist Munizae Jahangir stated, "Protesting against the arrest of #AsadToor demanding that the vague FIR registered against him which does not specify how he caused insecurity amongst govt should be withdrawn & govt coming in must lift restrictions on internet & social media platforms like X. Democracy must be 4 ppl."
Mir at that time had stated that ""we are not demanding the release of Asad Toor and Imran Riaz, but the Pakistani regime should follow their list of targeted journalists and arrest all of us at once. Although, we demand that Pakistan's Supreme Court which has taken the initiative to bring the killers of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif to justice, otherwise we journalists will have to bring the perpetrators to light and make them leave Pakistan."
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan arrested Asad Ali Toor after he was summoned to appear before court on Monday.
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