Lahore Court Grants Bail to Anchorperson Rehan Tariq in Controversial Questions Case
Lahore: A sessions court in Lahore has granted post-arrest bail to anchorperson Rehan Tariq in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), ordering his release upon submission of surety bonds worth Rs100,000.
During the hearing, Rehan Tariq’s counsel, Advocate Mian Daud, argued that the contents of the First Information Report (FIR) did not disclose any cognizable offence. He maintained that no law in Pakistan prohibits conducting interviews on historical or religious questions and that there was no evidence linking his client to the uploading or publication of the disputed video or interview.
The defence further contended that none of Rehan Tariq’s electronic devices had been used in connection with the alleged offence. Advocate Daud claimed that, for the first time in Pakistan’s legal history, the cybercrime agency had allegedly fabricated evidence by associating information from Rehan Tariq’s official Facebook account with a non-existent page titled “Rehan Tariq Official.”
He also pointed out that religious scholar Jawad Naqvi, who was interviewed in the disputed content, had not been nominated as an accused in the case. According to the defence, the interview remains publicly available on Jawad Naqvi’s official YouTube channel.
The defence argued that all offences cited in the FIR are bailable under the Code of Criminal Procedure and that bail is a constitutional right in such circumstances. It further submitted that mandatory governmental approval under Section 196 had not been obtained and that higher courts have previously granted bail in religious controversy cases while leaving substantive questions to be decided during trial proceedings.
During the proceedings, NCCIA’s Station House Officer (SHO), Najam Bajwa, opposed the bail application. He acknowledged before the court that Jawad Naqvi had not been named as an accused but argued that Rehan Tariq’s questions were deliberately controversial and could potentially incite sectarian or religious discord.
After hearing detailed arguments from both sides, Additional Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui rejected the prosecution’s objections and approved Rehan Tariq’s post-arrest bail against surety bonds of Rs100,000.
The court’s order paves the way for Rehan Tariq’s release while the legal proceedings in the case continue.
