The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has barred the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from arresting a journalist over his tweets, it was reported on Friday.

On Thursday, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah summoned the inquiry officer of the FIA's Cybercrime Wing on Octpber 12 along with the record against the journalist, Rana Mohammad Arshad, Dawn news reported.

Justice Minallah was hearing a petition filed by the journalist.

This is the first case in Islamabad in which a legal committee constituted by the Pakistan Bar Council for defence of journalists has filed a petition.

A panel of lawyers comprising representing the journalist asserted that because of opinions and views expressed by the petitioner on social media, he was being harassed by the FIA's Cybercrime Wing.

According to one of the lawyers on the panel, Arshad was summoned by the FIA and later his house was raided by officials of the agency.

The court admitted the plea for regular hearing, issued notices to the FIA authorities and directed that "no adverse action shall be taken against the petitioner".
(IANS)