{{Short description|Pakistani journalist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox youtuber | name = Asad Ali Toor | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1984}} | birth_place = | citizenship = | other_names = | occupation = Journalist, Supreme Court Reporter and YouTuber | years_active = 2005–present | known_for = | notable_works = | youtube_id = UCXORDenrw6IHFUvg0PH-3hg | youtube_display_name = Asad Toor Uncensored | youtube_years_active = 2020–present | youtube_genre = | youtube_subscribers = 320 thousand<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | youtube_views = 56.8 million<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | stats_update = 14 April 2025 }}

'''Asad Ali Toor''' (born {{circa|1984}}) is a Pakistani journalist who reports from the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Previously, he worked as a producer for Aaj News. He is known for raising his voice for missing persons in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/pakistan-has-jailed-one-of-its-last-independent-journalists/|title=Pakistan has jailed one of its last independent journalists|first=Lynne|last=O’Donnell|date=2 March 2024}}</ref>

== Career == Toor began his career in 2005 and later worked as a senior producer for Aaj News.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-journalists-military-press-freedom/a-56265949|title=Pakistan criminalizes criticism of the military – DW – 01/18/2021|website=dw.com}}</ref> In 2020, he launched a YouTube channel, Asad Toor Uncensored, which covers judicial and governmental affairs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/sociology/events/2021/pakistan.aspx|title=Journalism in Pakistan: state repression and the politics of solidarity|first=London School of Economics and Political|last=Science|website=London School of Economics and Political Science}}</ref>

In September 2020, the FIA filed a First Information Report against Toor, accusing him of defaming state institutions on social media.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2022/03/pakistani-journalist-asad-ali-toor-targeted-in-criminal-investigation-of-protest/|title=Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor targeted in criminal investigation of protest|date=9 March 2022}}</ref> At that time, he was working as a reporter for Samaa TV, a job he forcefully left.<ref name="auto"/> The Lahore High Court dismissed the case in early 2021, citing a lack of evidence.<ref name="auto"/>

On May 25, 2021, three unidentified men entered Toor's Islamabad apartment and assaulted him.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2301569/journalist-asad-ali-toor-attacked-in-islamabad|title = Journalist Asad Ali toor attacked in Islamabad|date = 25 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2021/05/unidentified-men-attack-bind-and-gag-pakistani-journalist-asad-ali-toor-at-his-home-in-islamabad/|title = Unidentified men attack, bind, and gag Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor at his home in Islamabad|date = 26 May 2021}}</ref> According to Toor's public account, the assailants tied him up and questioned him about his sources of funding. Toor stated that the men identified themselves as being from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. He was subsequently hospitalized for his injuries. A government investigation was announced, but no arrests were made.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-journalist-critical-of-military-attacked-at-home/a-57665723|title=Pakistan: Journalist critical of military attacked at home &#124; DW &#124; 26.05.2021|website=Deutsche Welle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aaj.tv/news/30259632|title = صحافی اسد طور پرحملے اور تشدد کی ایف آئی آر تھانہ شالیمار میں درج|date = 26 May 2021}}</ref>

In June 2021, the FIA issued a summons for Toor to appear for questioning regarding a complaint of defamation against a government institution. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement calling on authorities to stop legal actions against him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2021/06/journalist-asad-ali-toor-summoned-for-alleged-defamation-of-pakistan-government/|title=Journalist Asad Ali Toor summoned for alleged defamation of Pakistan government|date=1 June 2021}}</ref>

In March 2022, Toor was present at a protest at the National Press Club in Islamabad. Subsequently, Islamabad police opened a criminal investigation into Toor and others on charges including rioting and unlawful assembly. On March 4, the Islamabad High Court instructed police not to make arrests in the case. The Attorney General later informed the court that the state would withdraw the case against Toor and other participants.<ref name="auto1"/>

On February 26, 2024, Toor was arrested by the FIA in connection with an inquiry into online activism related to judiciary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/27/pakistani-journalist-arrested-for-social-posts-against-government-officials|title=Pakistani journalist arrested for social posts against government officials|first=Abid|last=Hussain|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1817498/journalist-asad-toor-remanded-in-fia-custody-for-5-days-in-case-pertaining-to-online-campaign-against-judiciary |access-date=27 February 2024 |title=Journalist Asad Toor remanded in FIA custody for 5 days in case pertaining to online campaign against judiciary }}</ref> He was held in custody for three weeks at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. On March 16, 2024, an Islamabad trial court granted him bail, finding the allegations to be unsubstantiated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1821873|title=Journalist Asad Toor released from Adiala Jail after Islamabad court approves bail|first=Umer|last=Mehtab|date=16 March 2024|website=Dawn}}</ref>

In August 2025, Toor was prevented from boarding a flight to the United States at Islamabad International Airport. Immigration officials informed him that his name was on a no-fly list. Earlier in the year, the FIA had temporarily frozen his bank accounts and blocked his YouTube channel as part of ongoing investigations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2025/08/pakistani-authorities-block-journalist-asad-ali-toor-from-traveling-overseas/|title=Pakistani authorities block journalist Asad Ali Toor from traveling overseas|date=11 August 2025}}</ref>

==Recognition== In December 2024, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Pakistan awarded Toor the Human Rights Tulip Award for his work in journalism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1262732-netherlands-embassy-honours-journalist-with-tulip-award|title=Netherlands embassy honours journalist with Tulip Award|date=18 December 2024|website=www.thenews.com.pk}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Toor, Asad Ali}} Category:Living people Category:1984 births Category:Pakistani male journalists Category:Pakistani YouTubers Category:Inmates of Central Jail Rawalpindi Category:News YouTubers Category:Prisoners and detainees of Pakistan Category:Pakistani prisoners and detainees Category:21st-century prisoners and detainees Category:21st-century Pakistani male writers Category:Pakistani torture victims