Islamabad Court Remands Journalist Bilal Ghauri in PECA Case
An Islamabad judicial court on Monday handed journalist Bilal Ghauri over to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (c) on a three-day physical remand. The arrest stems from a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over a recent vlog covering government appointments.
The Charges and the Vlog
The FIR was filed on September 6 by an NCCIA technical officer under Sections 20 and 26-A of PECA, which penalize damage to personal dignity and the spread of false information.
The agency claims Ghauri uploaded content on September 5 that contained misleading claims about how the head of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) was chosen. Investigators alleged that an internal inquiry showed the video lacked factual verification and was produced to push an untruthful narrative.
Arguments Inside the Courtroom
Appearing before Judge Malik Aman, prosecutors asked for 10 days of custody to run further investigations. Defense counsel Imran Shafiq opposed the motion, noting that officers picked Ghauri up the night he published the video without issuing a preliminary legal notice.
Key points raised by the defense include:
Government Paperwork: The defense stated Ghauri merely outlined facts from an official government notification already in circulation.
Institutional Critique: Ghauri told the judge his commentary focused on Nacta's institutional track record, not the private life of an individual.
Unclear Allegations: Counsel asked prosecutors to highlight the exact statement in the recording they considered false or fabricated.
Judge Aman turned down the agency's 10-day custody request, granting a shorter three-day remand instead to wrap up questioning.
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