NCCIA gets journalist Bilal Ghauri's 3-day physical remand in Peca case

Islamabad's judicial magistrate on Monday authorized the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to physically detain journalist Bilal Ghauri for three days in a case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). The case stemmed from content uploaded by Ghauri on September 5, according to the first information report (FIR), which was presented to the court.

The FIR alleged that Ghauri disseminated false and misleading information regarding the appointment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority's (Nacta) head. The agency claimed that the material "contained assertions and allegations concerning the process and circumstances relating to the appointment of the Nacta national coordinator."

However, Ghauri's attorney, Imran Shafiq, argued that his client had not made any false statements and that the vlog in which the alleged remarks were made had only outlined the contents of a notification issued by relevant authorities. The magistrate ultimately denied the NCCIA's request for a ten-day remand and instead allowed Ghauri to remain under the agency's three-day physical custody for further investigation.