ATC Judge Naimatullah Phulpoto directed the investigating officer to produce the detained journalist on November 13 and also submit a charge sheet on the next hearing.
Chaudhry, a journalist associated with Urdu-language daily Nai Baat, was detained by the law enforcers following a raid on his residence on Friday night.
On Monday, the CTD officials disclosed his arrest in a case registered under Sections 11W(i) and 11F(i) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which pertain to printing, publishing, or disseminating any material to incite hatred, and offer support and hold meetings for a proscribed organisation.
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The journalist community is continuing its protest since Chaudhry's detention – what the journalists’ representative groups describe as an attempt to justify the raid by the LEAs personnel on the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on the night of November 8.
On Monday, the investigation officer produced the detained journalist before the administrative judge and requested for his 14-day physical remand for interrogation.
Investigating officer, Inspector Syed Ali Haider of the CTD, said the detained suspect was allegedly involved in facilitating an Al-Qaeda terrorist Khalid Mukashi.
He further mentioned the personnel also recovered a bag containing four copies of Nawa-i-Afghan Jihad published in 2011, which promoted violence against Pakistan, the government and incited religious hatred.
Therefore, the IO pleaded for 14 days physical remand of the detained journalist, who is already in the custody of CTD, for further investigation.
However, Advocates Mohammad Farooq and Syed Haider Imam Rizvi, the defence counsel for Nasrullah Khan Chaudhry, vehemently opposed the IO’s plea for physical remand of the detained journalist.
They argued that Chaudhry was innocent, who was picked up after participating in the journalists’ protest outside the Sindh Governor House against the raid on the KPC.
"The news about Chaudhry’s arrest in a false case has been widely reported in the international media bringing a bad name for the country as well as Pakistani journalists," the counsel deplored and pleaded to dismiss the IO’s request for physical remand.
Turning down the IO’s request for 14 days remand, the ATCs administrative judge granted two-day remand and directed the IO to submit the charge sheet against the suspect on Nov 13.
