Court rejects Azma’s plea to record evidence via video link

Lahore witnessed a court's denial of a criminal revision petition submitted by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari. The court's decision aligned with that of a lower court, which mandated her physical presence to record a statement in a cybercrime case. The minister had previously challenged the lower court's ruling, which had denied her request to record her testimony as the complainant via video link in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca) at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore.

Social media activists Falak Javed and Muhammad Shafiq are currently in police custody for their alleged involvement in the case of disseminating a fabricated video of the minister. In his ruling, Additional District & Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui Malik determined that testifying via video link is not a guaranteed right but an exception to the standard requirement of in-person appearance, granted only in exceptional circumstances.

The judge pointed out that Bokhari, despite her public office, failed to provide any evidence, such as a police complaint or security assessment, to justify her claims of threat. He emphasized that holding a ministerial position does not automatically qualify a witness to circumvent standard courtroom procedures. Additionally, the judge stressed the importance of the accused's right to cross-examine the complainant in person for a fair trial, stating that granting Bokhari's request could disrupt proceedings.

Recognizing that the case had already been delayed by the revision petition, the judge urged for the expeditious resolution of criminal trials. The judge instructed the petitioner/minister to attend before the trial magistrate on the subsequent scheduled date, while reaffirming her freedom to seek further security measures via the appropriate authorities if necessary.