In Pakistan, selling goods—even something as innocent as parrots—to journalists labeled “anti-state” by authorities can lead to unexpected consequences, indicating how everyday business can become entangled in political scrutiny in this deeply divided country.
In recent weeks, several individuals, including bird sellers and media professionals, discovered their bank accounts frozen without prior notice after conducting transactions with outspoken journalists like Asad Ali Toor.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reportedly initiated these freezes under suspicions of “anti-state content” and potential money laundering, though critics argue the actions lack due process and transparency. Courts have since intervened in some cases, ordering accounts to be restored, but many affected individuals remain in financial limbo.
As the story goes, in April, Karachi-based 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan was on a business trip to Islamabad when he discovered that his bank account had been abruptly shut down. Attempting to withdraw money from an ATM, he was met with the message: “Invalid bank account.” Alarmed, Rozi Khan immediately returned home by flight and contacted his bank manager, only to learn that his account had been closed on April 10 under orders from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) — without any prior notice or explanation.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rozi Khan said that when he eventually spoke to an FIA official, he was confronted with a puzzling question: “What is your relationship with Asad Ali Toor?” Rozi explained that he sells parrots to clients from all walks of life, and Asad Toor was simply one of his regular customers.
“I couldn’t understand why selling a parrot to a journalist would result in my account being shut down,” he said.
According to Al Jazeera, several bird sellers in cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Sargodha experienced similar treatment. In Lahore, 60-year-old bird vendor Nadeem Nasir discovered that his account had also been closed on April 10 after a check bounced — likewise, allegedly due to selling parrots to Asad Toor.
However, Rozi Khan was not the only one affected. According to Al Jazeera, several bird sellers in cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Sargodha experienced similar treatment. In Lahore, 60-year-old bird vendor Nadeem Nasir discovered that his account had also been closed on April 10 after a check bounced — likewise, allegedly due to selling parrots to Asad Toor.
Asad Toor is a well-known journalist and YouTuber based in Islamabad. His critical commentary on state institutions garners a wide audience on YouTube and social media. A passionate collector of rare parrots, he reportedly spends over PKR 50,000 per month on his hobby. However, this interest appears to have become a liability not only for him but for those involved in bird trade with him.
According to Al Jazeera, the FIA did not stop at freezing Asad Toor’s bank account — accounts belonging to his parents, brother, cousin, and even multiple parrot sellers were frozen without any formal notice. Asad said, “My own account, my family’s accounts, and even the accounts of bird sellers were shut down without any warning.”
In response, Asad Toor petitioned the Islamabad High Court. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro demanded a justification from the FIA, which submitted a one-page response. The agency accused Toor of “earning through anti-state social media posts” and stated that investigations were underway for potential money laundering or terror financing.
The court ruled that Asad Toor had been denied due process and that the account closure was unlawful. It ordered the immediate restoration of his account. However, the accounts of his family members and business contacts remain frozen.
Toor’s lawyer, Zainab Janjua, told Al Jazeera that despite the court order, banks refused to reactivate the accounts without written instructions from the FIA. It was only after the court issued a warning for contempt that his account was restored.
The FIA declined to provide an official response to Al Jazeera’s inquiries. However, the outlet cited an unnamed official who said, “Asad Toor purchased parrots worth millions of rupees, yet his only declared source of income is YouTube — is that not suspicious?” The source maintained that the agency is empowered under the Anti-Money Laundering Act to act on any “suspicious transactions.”
