Only In Pakistan: Journalist Criticises Government But Parrot Sellers Pay The Price
The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has frozen the bank accounts of prominent independent journalist Asad Ali Toor and multiple bird sellers nationwide over transactions connected to parrot sales.
The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down. After completing a routine sale in Islamabad, he tried to withdraw money but received an 'Invalid bank account" message at the ATM.
His bank manager later informed him that the account was frozen on 10 April under an FIA directive, Pakistan-based The Friday Times reported.
'I sell birds to all sorts of people," Rozi told the outlet. 'I had no idea that selling parrots to a journalist could lead to this."
The freezes are not limited to Rozi. Sellers in Lahore, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, and other cities have also found their accounts blocked after trading with Toor.
One such seller, 60-year-old businessman Nadeem Nasir from Lahore, said that his account was frozen without warning after a cheque unexpectedly bounced, Al Jazeera reported.
When he contacted FIA officials, they questioned him about Asad Ali Toor. 'I have known Asad for the last five years and have developed good relations with him," Nasir said. 'But the last time he purchased parrots from me was in 2023 and early 2024. Since then, there has been no business transaction between us."
Asad Ali Toor is a well-known YouTuber and outspoken critic of the government, boasting over 335,000 subscribers. He has a noted passion for rare parrots and reportedly spends over Rs 50,000 per month on their care. While Toor's bank accounts, along with those of his parents, brother, and cousin, were frozen, sellers who have dealt with him also suffered similar restrictions.
Toor learned of the bank freeze after a cousin alerted him. 'It's not just me," he said. 'Even people who sold me birds are being punished. It's absurd."
Neither the FIA nor other Pakistani authorities have publicly commented on the matter or announced any formal charges related to the freezes.
Notably, Toor's YouTube channel was targeted for suspension earlier this year, along with 26 others, for 'anti-state" content — though a sessions court reversed that suspension two days later.
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