Iqrar ul Hassan bail granted in PECA case after nearly three weeks in custody

Anchorperson and Awam Raj Tehreek chief Iqrarul Hassan was granted bail on Saturday, 31 October, in the case over allegedly “anti-state” content on his social media accounts. A judicial magistrate in Karachi’s East district ordered his release against surety bonds of Rs200,000, his lawyer confirmed.

It is the first relief Hassan has had since he was picked up from his Lahore home on 12 October. His bail plea had been turned down twice before, so Saturday’s order was not a given.

Why was Iqrar ul Hassan arrested?

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered a case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The FIR says he used his X, Instagram and Facebook accounts to spread content it calls “anti-state, false and defamatory”. He was booked under sections 9, 10, 24 and 26-A of the law.

His lawyers argue that his posts were commentary, not a crime. No court has ruled on the charges themselves; bail only decides whether he waits for trial at home or in jail.

A timeline of the case

• 12 October: Plain-clothes personnel took Hassan from his house in DHA Lahore at about 3am, his family said. His wife said phones, a laptop and CCTV footage were also taken. The NCCIA at first told a magistrate he was not in its custody.
• About 30 hours later: He was produced before a judicial magistrate in Karachi, where the case is registered, and sent on four days’ physical remand with the NCCIA.
• Remand extended: The agency asked for 10 more days; the magistrate allowed two, then sent him to jail on judicial remand.
• 22 October: The magistrate rejected his first bail plea, saying release at that stage could obstruct the investigation.
• 29 October: A second bail application was turned down, and his legal team said it would go to the Sindh High Court.
• 31 October: Bail granted.

What changed on Saturday?

The NCCIA told the court it did not need to investigate Hassan any further, although a forensic report on his devices is still pending, according to media reports of the hearing. With the investigation side largely done, the main reason given for keeping him in custody had gone. The magistrate’s order, as reported, said bail cannot be held back as a form of punishment before trial.

He walks out once the surety bonds are submitted. The case under PECA continues.

Why people are watching it

Hassan is one of Pakistan’s best-known TV faces, from years of hidden-camera crime reporting on Sar-e-Aam, and he launched Awam Raj Tehreek as a political movement. His case is one of a series of PECA cases against journalists and social media users since the law was tightened in 2025, which digital rights groups have tracked closely.

The next thing to watch is whether he speaks publicly after his release, and when the trial court takes up the charge sheet.