Hoe de verkoop van papegaaien aan een Pakistaanse journalist leidde tot een geblokkeerde bankrekening

Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor had his bank account locked in April along with his family members and bird sellers from whom he purchased his parrots. In Islamabad, Pakistan, Rozi Khan, a 29-year-old bird seller from Karachi, was on a business trip to the capital when he discovered that he could not access his bank account.

After completing a sale, Khan attempted to withdraw money from an ATM, only to be greeted with the message: “Invalid bank account.” Alarmed, he took the next available flight home and rushed to speak to his bank manager. He was shocked to learn that his account, which he had been using for his bird-selling business for a decade, had been shut down on April 10 by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) without any explanation.

Khan managed to contact an FIA official after his bank manager provided him with a phone number. When asked about his recent business transactions, the official posed an intriguing question regarding his relationship with Asad Ali Toor, a journalist known for collecting rare parrots.

A ripple effect across cities

In cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Sargodha, other bird sellers who had done business with Toor found themselves facing similar issues, with their bank accounts also locked. Nadeem Nasir, a 60-year-old businessman from Lahore who had sold birds to Toor, discovered his account was closed on the same day as Khan’s when a cheque he wrote bounced.

Like Khan, Nasir received no notification about the closure from the FIA or his bank. When he eventually spoke to someone at the FIA, he was also questioned about his connection to Toor. “It was only after I managed to get in touch with some FIA officials through my contacts that they asked me about my relationship with Toor. That’s when I realised what had happened,” he recounted.

A journalist with a passion for parrots

Toor, an independent journalist and vlogger based in Islamabad, is known for his outspoken opinions and critical analysis of the government and military. He has been running a popular YouTube channel for five years, attracting hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

Among the blocked accounts were those of Toor’s family members, including his father, mother, brother, and a cousin who assists him with his YouTube channel. Toor’s passion for rare parrots is well-known, and he spends a significant amount monthly on their care, funding this hobby through his online earnings.

Legal fight for access

After being unable to access his funds for over a month, Toor was forced to rely on friends for financial support. In May, the Islamabad High Court ordered the restoration of his bank account following a petition he filed. When the FIA was asked to justify the account freeze, they claimed it was necessary to investigate Toor’s income from “anti-state” posts on social media.

The court ruled that Toor had been denied due process, deeming the FIA’s actions unlawful. However, the bank accounts of Toor’s family members remain blocked. Zainab Janjua, Toor’s lawyer, faced challenges in having the account unblocked, but after threatening contempt proceedings, the bank complied.

“Asad Toor has spent millions of rupees on parrots, and his only income appears to be from YouTube. Is that not strange?” an official stated, justifying their investigation into Toor’s financial dealings.

Journalists in the line of fire

Another journalist facing similar challenges is Matiullah Jan, who also lives in Islamabad. His family members’ accounts were frozen without formal notice from the FIA, highlighting the growing restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan.

In July, both Khan and Nasir took their case to court, leading to a ruling that ordered their accounts to be reopened. However, Khan still struggles to access his funds, which hampers his business operations.

Waiting for justice

As Pakistan continues to restrict media freedom, journalists face intimidation and harassment. Rights activists express concern over the increasing targeting of journalists through legal measures and state agencies.

Khan remains hopeful for the restoration of his account and seeks clarity on the reasons behind the punishment he faces. “Does this mean if I talk to someone the state doesn’t like, they can freeze my account? At least tell me what I did wrong,” he stated.