ISLAMABAD – Journalist Bilal Ghauri got relief as District and Sessions Court approved his bail application in the case against him.
The hearing was conducted by Judicial Magistrate Malik Aman, while Supreme Court Advocate Imran Shafiq appeared before the court on behalf of Bilal Ghauri.
During the proceedings, the defense strongly challenged the case, arguing that the allegations were not supported by evidence and describing the case as motivated by mala fide intentions. The defense maintained that the fundamental allegations levelled against the journalist could not be substantiated through available evidence.
After hearing the arguments from the defense, the court approved Bilal Ghauri’s bail application, granting the journalist relief in the case.
The case was registered on September 6 on behalf of the state by NCCIA Technical Assistant Muhammad Umair Warsi under Sections 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Section 20 concerns offences against the dignity of a natural person, while Section 26-A relates to the dissemination of false and fake information.
According to FIR, Ghauri allegedly uploaded and circulated social media content on September 5 concerning the appointment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) national coordinator.
FIR alleged that the material contained claims and assertions about the appointment process and the circumstances surrounding the selection. An inquiry conducted by the authorities subsequently alleged that Ghauri had deliberately created and circulated what investigators considered false narratives through social media platforms.
Investigators further claimed that the material was misleading and lacked a factual, lawful or independently verifiable basis. Ghauri was subsequently produced before Judge Malik Aman, where the NCCIA sought 10 days of physical remand for further investigation.
According to the defense, the vlog at the centre of the case was uploaded on September 5 and Ghauri was arrested the same night. Shafiq argued that no statement in the entire vlog could be described as false or fabricated.
Ghauri rejected the allegation, telling the court that his comments were not directed at an individual but concerned Nacta as an institution and its performance.
