Karachi court extends journalist Iqrarul Hassan's physical remand by two days
Judicial magistrate rejects lawyers’ application, orders NCCIA to present report at next hearing
On Saturday, a Karachi court extended journalist Iqrarul Hassan's physical remand by two additional days in a case of harming the state and national integrity through anti-state content dissemination. The judicial magistrate (East) also denied Hassan's lawyers' request and instructed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to submit a report during the subsequent hearing. The NCCIA had previously brought Hassan before the magistrate, who then handed him over to the NCCIA for a four-day physical remand.
Last week, the District and Sessions Court East dismissed a petition challenging Hassan's physical remand. The defense counsel raised concerns about the legality of the proceedings and argued that the case focused on digital and cyber matters. Hassan was charged under Sections 9, 10, 20, 24, and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, alleging that he intentionally disseminated false, fabricated, anti-state, and defamatory content through his social media accounts on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
The content was intended to provoke public discontent against the state, its institutions, and functionaries.
According to the FIR, Hassan's social media posts portrayed the state, its institutions, and functionaries in a false and distorted manner. The report noted that Hassan represented lawful measures as controversial, aiming to incite and provoke the public against the state and lawfully constituted authorities. The statement further mentioned that Hassan instigated a substantial following, including the general public, on the aforementioned platforms, and that his posts were publicly accessible, reaching and influencing the public both within Pakistan and abroad.
Hassan's wife, Farah Iqrar, revealed that unidentified individuals posing as NCCIA officials had taken him away from their Lahore residence late on Sunday night, during the late hours of Sunday and Monday. They threatened to break down the door if he was not handed over. Later, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that Punjab Police had not arrested Hassan, and investigations into the matter were ongoing. The family would be informed once verified information about his whereabouts became available.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
