Pakistan's investigative journalist detained in an alleged Gen Bajwa’s tax record leaks case but the journalists’ community, including the correspondent behind the exposé Noorani himself, denounced the arrest of Shahid Aslam by FIA and mentioned that the latter never shared any details for the subject leaks. #ShahidAslam #FIA #Pakistan

Pakistan Investigative Journalists Shahid Aslam

 

Gen (Retired) Qamar Javed Bagwa

Pakistan, Islamabad:  

"A court Saturday remanded Shahid Aslam — the reporter suspected of leaking tax data of former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa's family members — to the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for two days. 

Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir of a district and sessions court announced the verdict — reserved a while back — and handed over the journalist to the FIA. 

During the hearing, the prosecutor said that Aslam was arrested by the agency yesterday. He added that the suspect was allegedly getting information from the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan (FBR).

"There is evidence against Shahid Aslam which shows that the suspect was leaking information," said the prosecutor. 

Meanwhile, the suspect denied all the charges against him, saying that there was no evidence against him as he has done nothing wrong. 

In response, Aslam said that he has been covering FBR stories for a long time. "I am a journalist and I know my professional duties," he added. 

The prosecutor questioned why Aslam was not providing the password for his laptop. The judge remarked that it was not wrong to get information as a journalist." 

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