Case Update Status

The case was under investigation.

Summary of Case

"On March 28, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Dunya News reporter Rana Khalid Mehmood and Toba Tek Singh District Press Club reporter Ali Ahmed in Gojra under section 155C of Police Order and sections 3 and 18 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 for interviewing Faisal accused in Maria’s murder in Toba Tek Singh in Thana Sadar Toba. Accused Sattar is the father of Maria, and Faisal is the brother. The video went viral on social media which Faisal choked her neck and killed her, and Sattar was sitting beside him. Rana Mashood, former fellow of PPF, said that the FIR registered on Ali Ahmed was fake as Ali Ahmed was not present and didn’t take an interview. No designation was mentioned with the name Rana Khalid in the FIR, as some heated conversation happened between the police and Rana Khalid. Hence, the police registered the case against them. Rana Khalid Mehmood, reporter of Dunya TV, told PPF that police were taking the accused, Sattar and Faisal (the killer), to the Thana Sadar. ""I went there outside the police station. I asked Sattar about the case and why they murdered Maria, and I made a video of them. After the video went viral on social media, they lodged the FIR against me, according to PECA, and then we went to session court for bail, but they refused. They said that the FIR is registered under the PECA act, so you would not be able to get bail from the session court, so I contacted from session court from Faisalabad and got bail."" Ali Ahmed, the district press club Gojra cameraman, said that he was not present when the journalists interviewed Sattar and Faisal, and the police registered a fake case against him under the PECA act. He further shared that ASP Faheem called me and Rana Khalid on April 9 and asked them not to worry and take their bail application back and they would not be arrested. He said they had been facing pressure these days and would work to discard the FIR."

Category of Incident

Case Registered

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0803-Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

ICCS Group:

ICCS Class: 08039-Other acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

ICCS Crime: Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression

Reported By

Dawn

Date of incident

28

Month

March

Year

2024

Name of affected person

Ali Ahmed

Other affected persons

Rana Khalid Mehmood

Name of affected organization

Toba Tek Singh district press club

Other affected organizations

Dunya News

Action by

Police

City

Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad

Province

Punjab

Designation

Reporter

Professional category

Journalists

Age of victim

N/K

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation was announced

Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation was announced

Date compensation paid by others: No compensation was announced

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: Yes

Date of FIR: 28/03/2024

FIR Details: FIRF No. 255/24 was registered under section 155C of Police Order and sections 3 and 18 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016

Police station of FIR: Thana Sadar Toba Tek Singh

Name of complainant: Sub Inspector Muhammad Hassan

Name of accused in FIR: Khalid and Ali

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: Under investigation

Court where case was presented: Court was not presented in any court

Name of prosecuting lawyer: Court was not presented in any court

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: Court was not presented in any court

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

Not condemned

APNS

Not condemned

CPNE

Not condemned

PBA

Not condemned

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

No version was recorded

Employer organization

Not condemned

Press Club Status

Press club 1: Ali Ahmed, the district press club Gojra cameraman, said that he was not present when the journalists interviewed Sattar and Faisal, and the police registered a fake case against him under the PECA act. He further shared that ASP Faheem called me and Rana Khalid on April 9 and asked them not to worry and take their bail application back and they would not be arrested. He said they had been facing pressure these days and would work to discard the FIR.

Press club 2: -

Press club 3: -