A Karachi court has rejected the bail application of television anchor and Awam Raj Tehreek chief Iqrarul Hassan in a cybercrime case linked to his alleged social media posts. The decision was announced on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) as Case No. 101/2026 under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The agency has accused Hassan of sharing content on his official social media accounts that it considers anti-state, false and defamatory. These allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Hassan has remained in judicial custody since October 19, when a judicial magistrate declined the agency’s request for further physical remand and ordered him to be sent to prison until October 26. The court had earlier allowed the NCCIA additional time to question him and examine digital evidence collected during the investigation.
Following the rejection of bail, Hassan’s lawyer said the defence planned to approach the Sindh High Court to challenge the decision after receiving the detailed court order. The next legal steps will depend on the written judgment and the proceedings before the higher court.
The case has drawn attention to the use of Pakistan’s cybercrime laws in matters involving political commentary and social media activity.
