PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan was released from Adiala Jail on Tuesday night after an anti-terrorism court granted him bail in a case related to the alleged recovery of explosives.
PTI lawyer and spokesperson Naeem Haider Panjutha shared the news on social media platform X. Footage of Hasan’s release circulated on social media, showing him leaving the jail and getting into a vehicle.
Hasan had been arrested on July 22 in a case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca). His arrest coincided with the interior ministry’s accusation that the PTI was involved in “anti-state propaganda.” The government subsequently formed a joint investigation committee (JIT) to investigate those allegedly creating “chaos and disorder” in the country through “malicious social media campaigns.”
In connection with the social media case, Hasan was initially remanded into the FIA’s custody for seven days—starting with a two-day physical remand, followed by three-day and two-day extensions for further investigation. On July 31, after being placed on a 14-day judicial remand, Hasan was transferred to Adiala Jail and simultaneously arrested in a separate terrorism case. This case, which involved alleged possession of weapons and explosives, did not directly name him but was the same one in which PTI’s international media coordinator Ahmed Janjua had been detained.
Although an Islamabad court granted bail to Hasan and eight others in the social media case on August 1, Hasan was handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department on a two-day physical remand on July 31. This remand was extended by a day on August 2, after which Hasan was presented before an Islamabad ATC, which ordered a 14-day judicial remand.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over Hasan’s bail hearing and granted the request, setting his release upon furnishing surety bonds of Rs200,000.
The judge noted that Hasan, being a 75-year-old with severe illnesses, including heart disease and being a cancer survivor, had no prior criminal record and was highly educated. The investigation had been completed, and there was no longer a need to keep Hasan in custody. The judge further observed that despite Hasan’s physical remand, no evidence was found to link him with the alleged financing of explosives.
The court issued Hasan’s release order, or robkar, following the decision.
