Karachi: A Karachi sessions court on Saturday approved the bail application of journalist and Awam Raj Tehreek chief Iqrarul Hassan in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over allegedly false, defamatory and anti-state social media content.
The court ordered his release upon the submission of surety bonds worth Rs 200000, according to his lawyer and media reports.
The decision follows earlier court rulings rejecting Hassan's bail requests.
Previous bail applications rejected
Hassan was arrested in early October and later transferred from Lahore to Karachi in connection with the NCCIA investigation.
On October 13, a judicial magistrate granted the agency physical custody of him for four days. The remand was later extended by two days.
On October 19, the magistrate rejected the NCCIA's request for additional physical custody and remanded Hassan to prison.f
The magistrate dismissed his initial bail application on October 22.
A sessions court also rejected a subsequent application on October 29, before Saturday's decision granting him bail.
Allegations against Hassan
According to the first information report (FIR), the NCCIA accused Hassan of disseminating allegedly false, fabricated and defamatory material through his accounts on X, Instagram and Facebook. The case was registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016,
The agency alleged that the posts were intended to provoke public opposition to state institutions and officials.
Digital forensic report still awaited
During the proceedings, Hassan's legal representatives argued that authorities had already seized his digital devices and that continued detention was unnecessary for the investigation.
Granting bail allows Hassan's release subject to the court's conditions but does not amount to an acquittal.
The criminal proceedings remain unresolved.
