A Karachi judicial magistrate has granted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) four-day physical remand of journalist and Awam Raj Tehreek chief Iqrar-ul-Hassan in a case involving his social media posts.
The agency presented Iqrar before Judicial Magistrate Karachi East-I in connection with FIR No. 101/2026, registered on October 10 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, as amended in 2025.
According to the FIR, the NCCIA alleges that Iqrar used his personal accounts on X, Instagram and Facebook to publish content it described as false, fabricated, anti-state and defamatory. The agency claims the posts were intended to provoke the public against the state, its institutions and officials.
These claims remain allegations and have not been established in court. The grant of physical remand allows investigators to question the accused while he remains in custody. It does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Case Registered Under PECA
The FIR invokes Sections 9, 10, 20, 24 and 26-A of PECA. According to the case record described in the report, investigators examined publicly accessible social media posts and preserved the disputed material as evidence.
The case concerns alleged online content and its potential implications under Pakistan’s cybercrime legislation. The precise legal questions will depend on the allegations, evidence presented by investigators and proceedings before the relevant court.
The remand order does not establish whether the disputed posts violated the law. That determination would require consideration of the evidence and applicable legal provisions through the judicial process.
Iqrar-ul-Hassan Reportedly Arrested in Lahore
Iqrar was reportedly arrested in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority before being brought to Karachi at around 1am.
Following the court hearing, an NCCIA team took him back into custody and transferred him to the agency’s detention cell for further investigation.
The four-day remand gives investigators a limited period to question him in connection with the FIR. Any further custody or proceedings will depend on subsequent legal steps and court orders.
Allegations Remain Subject to Judicial Review
The case places social media activity at the centre of a criminal investigation under PECA. The agency’s allegations concern content published through Iqrar’s personal accounts, but the available report does not provide a full account of the disputed posts or his response to the accusations.
The distinction between an investigative allegation and a proven offence remains important. The registration of an FIR and the grant of physical remand are procedural steps in a criminal case, not proof that the accused committed the alleged offences.
Further developments will depend on the investigation, the evidence submitted by the agency and decisions made by the courts.
