An Islamabad judicial magistrate has granted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) three-day physical remand of journalist Bilal Ghauri.
Authorities registered the case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) on September 6. The charges involve Section 20 and Section 26-A of the law.
According to the first information report, Ghauri allegedly uploaded and shared content concerning the appointment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) head.
The inquiry reportedly concluded that he had “intentionally created, uploaded, transmitted and disseminated the false narratives through social media platforms”.
Officials also alleged that the content was “false, misleading and presented without any lawful, factual or independently verifiable basis”.
Journalist Denies False Information Allegation
Ghauri appeared before Judge Malik Aman on Monday. The NCCIA requested 10 days of physical remand for further investigation.
However, Ghauri’s lawyer, Advocate Imran Shafiq, opposed the request. He argued that authorities arrested his client without issuing prior notice.
The lawyer said Ghauri uploaded the vlog on September 5 and was arrested the same night. He maintained that the vlog contained no false or fabricated statement.
Ghauri also told the court that his remarks concerned NACTA and its performance rather than any individual.
His lawyer further argued that the journalist had only explained the contents of an official notification.
The counsel also challenged the prosecution to identify the specific statement that allegedly constituted false information.
After hearing both sides, the court rejected the NCCIA’s 10-day remand request. It instead granted the agency three-day physical remand for further investigation.
