ISLAMABAD: A local court on Thursday acquitted former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in a case registered against him for using indecent language against former chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar in an interview, which went viral on social media.

Mr Abidi was arrested from outside the Supreme Court in October last year, after he was booked by the Secretariat police station of Islamabad for using “highly insulting and inappropriate language” against the then chief justice and the judiciary in the interview.

The former senator first came under heat after a video of his interview went viral on social media, in which his language was deemed abusive, contemptuous and threatening in an FIR that was registered earlier. He was also accused of levelling allegations against government institutions.

The FIR stated that Mr Abidi had levelled accusations against individuals holding the highest constitutional posts.

The case was registered against Mr Abidi with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 for his remarks in another programme titled Subah Subah Naya Pakistan aired on web channel Naya Pakistan.

It said that during the course of his appearance on the show, the accused, with criminal intent and ulterior motives and without any lawful justification, used sarcastic, derogatory, disrespectful and defamatory language against the chief justice.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2019