ISI ‘totally disassociates’ itself from attack on journalist

Published May 30, 2021
This file photo shows journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor. — Photo courtesy: Facebook/File
This file photo shows journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor. — Photo courtesy: Facebook/File

ISLAMABAD: The country’s premier spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has “totally disassociated” itself from the recent attack on a journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor in Islamabad, says a handout issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday.

The statement said that a “high level contact” was established between the ministry and the ISI over the incident in which a digital media journalist was “allegedly attacked” in Islamabad and the ISI had stated that it had nothing to do with the incident.

“Such continued allegations against ISI show that the ISI is being a target of the fifth generation war under an organised conspiracy,” said the statement, issued a day after the journalist organisations held protest demonstrations against the growing incidents of attacks on journalists.

“The ISI believes that when the alleged attackers can clearly be identified in the CCTV footages then investigation should proceed against them and stern action should be taken against those responsible for it,” says the statement.

It says the ISI has assured its cooperation in the investigations.

The information ministry officials are in contact with the Islamabad police and hopefully the accused would soon be arrested.

Mr Toor had been severely beaten up by unidentified assailants outside his residence in Sector F-10 on May 25.

According to the police, some people gathered outside Mr Toor’s residence located in an apartment building. A scuffle took place between him and these people who fled the scene after thrashing him.

Narrating some of the details of the incident, Mr Toor said through video that the attackers had asked him about the source of his funds.

Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had taken notice of the incident and ordered the Islamabad police chief to probe the matter.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.