In Pakistan, some bird sellers are facing serious trouble just for selling parrots to a journalist the government doesn’t like.
What Happened?
Rozi Khan, a 29-year-old bird seller from Karachi, was shocked when he found that his bank account had been blocked. He was told it happened because he sold parrots to journalist Asad Ali Toor.
Khan said, “Why would my account be suspended just because a customer is a journalist?”
But Khan is not alone. Bird sellers from other cities like Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Sargodha also faced the same problem. Their accounts were frozen after selling birds to Toor.
Who Is Asad Ali Toor?
Asad Ali Toor is a well-known journalist and YouTuber from Islamabad. He often criticizes the government, military, and courts in Pakistan.
- He has over 3.35 lakh YouTube subscribers and 3.55 lakh followers on X (formerly Twitter).
- In 2021, he was attacked by unknown people—he believes they were from military intelligence.
- In 2024, he was arrested for posting “anti-state” content and spent 18 days in jail.
- His YouTube channel was also listed to be banned, but a court later stopped the ban.
Toor loves parrots and spends about 50,000 Pakistani rupees (₹15,000) every month to care for them using income from his online work.
What Did the Government Do?
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) blocked Toor’s bank account, along with those of his family and people who sold him birds.
Toor found out only after a relative told him their account was also frozen because of transactions with him. When he checked, his own and his family’s accounts were locked without any notice.
Bird sellers like 60-year-old Nadeem Nasir from Lahore were also surprised. He last sold birds to Toor in early 2024. “I only realized the reason after speaking to FIA officials,” he said.
What Did the Court Say?
Toor couldn’t access his money for over a month and had to depend on friends. In May, the court ordered the FIA to unblock his account, saying that his rights were denied.
The FIA claimed they were checking for anti-state income and money laundering, but the court didn’t agree.
Toor’s account is now active again, but his family’s accounts are still blocked.
This case has raised serious concerns about how people are being punished just for having simple business dealings with someone the government doesn’t agree with.
