LAHORE: The Lahore High Court today granted post-arrest bail to a Canadian national and Pakistani PhD scholar, Hamza Ahmad Khan, in a cybercrime case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.
Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan approved the bail petition, directing the release of the petitioner upon submission of surety bonds worth Rs200,000. The ruling came after the accused had earlier been denied post-arrest bail by both a judicial magistrate and a sessions court.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered the case in February, accusing the petitioner of posting anti-state content on social media platforms X and Instagram.
During the hearing, defence counsel Advocate Asad Jamal argued that the case lacked transparency and was based on questionable grounds. He maintained that the allegations were false and fabricated, asserting that the petitioner had been drawn into unjust legal proceedings without credible evidence. The lawyer further contended that bail is a right in such circumstances, particularly when the prosecution has not presented conclusive proof.
The counsel also assured the court that there was no likelihood of the petitioner tampering with evidence, as all relevant material had already been secured by the authorities.
According to case details, Hamza had arrived in Pakistan on February 13 to work on his PhD thesis and was residing in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority.
Hamza went missing on February 19 after leaving his residence late at night, prompting his kidnapping case. However, he later surfaced in NCCIA custody on February 23, raising questions about the sequence of events surrounding his disappearance and arrest.
The court’s decision marks a significant development in the case, with further legal proceedings expected in the coming weeks.
