A judicial magistrate in Karachi on Monday sent TV anchor Iqrarul Hassan to jail on judicial remand until October 26, rejecting a request from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to extend his physical custody. Iqrarul Hassan was arrested about a week earlier and booked under several sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), a law covering offences committed through electronic means. Judicial remand means he is held in jail while the investigation continues.
What the court ordered
Judicial Magistrate (East) Gulraiz Memon heard the matter after Hassan completed six days of physical remand, during which the NCCIA held him. The agency asked for eight more days of physical custody for questioning. The judge said the agency had already been given "sufficient time of physical custody" and had offered "no cogent reason" for an extension, so he remanded the anchor to judicial custody until October 26.
The court also directed the investigating officer to submit an interim charge sheet within the stipulated period. The judge noted that Hassan had not complained of any maltreatment at the hands of police. Supporters and social media content creators gathered outside the City Courts, and police kept regular court reporters out of the courtroom because of the crowd.
What the NCCIA alleges and how the defence responded
In its remand report, the NCCIA said the investigation had moved forward but that several important aspects still needed examination. These include forensic analysis of Hassan's seized digital devices and records from other departments, including the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), which holds citizens' identity records. The agency said Hassan shared a video on his official accounts on X, Instagram and Facebook on October 10, and described the content as false, fabricated and defamatory.
Defence counsel Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq argued that his client had not crossed constitutional boundaries in the video. He said the NCCIA already had the digital devices, so there was no need to extend custody, and he accused the agency of not showing progress in the case. The court issued notices to the NCCIA on the bail application and fixed the hearing for October 21. The case is at an early stage, and none of the allegations have been decided in court.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- October 10: Hassan shares a video on his X, Instagram and Facebook accounts, which the NCCIA later cited in its case.
- About a week before the Monday hearing: Hassan is arrested and booked under several PECA sections.
- Monday: his six-day physical remand ends, the magistrate rejects the NCCIA's extension plea and sends him to judicial remand.
- October 21: hearing on the bail application filed by the defence.
- October 26: the date until which the court has remanded Hassan to judicial custody.
Aasan alfaaz mein
TV anchor Iqrarul Hassan ko ek hafta pehle giraftar kiya gaya tha aur unpar PECA ke tehat case bana hai. Karachi ki adalat ne NCCIA ki darkhwast rad kar di aur unhein 26 October tak judicial remand par jail bhej diya gaya hai. Bail ki darkhwast par 21 October ko sunwai hogi. Aam logon ke liye yeh yaad rakhna zaroori hai ke social media par posts ka qanooni hisaab ho sakta hai.
