May 7, 2026
By Hafiz ullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
The District and Sessions’ Court of Islamabad, in a significant ruling concerning a case registered over the sharing of social media content, has confirmed the pre-arrest bail of journalists Aqil Hussain Baqri and Rizwan Ghilzai. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, after hearing detailed arguments from both sides, issued the order to confirm the bail for both accused.
During the proceedings, defense counsel Adv Habib Hanzalah argued that the FIR was completely baseless. He maintained that the petitioners had not expressed any personal opinions in their tweets but had merely shared existing content. The lawyer questioned the court, noting that since the relevant clip was shared by hundreds of people, it was legally questionable why cases were not registered against all of them. While the prosecution requested the court to reject the bail applications, the judge granted the bail against surety bonds of 5,000 PKR each.
This legal action is part of a joint case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on April 20, which also nominated senior journalist Fakhar-ur-Rehman. Fakhar-ur-Rehman was arrested on April 24 and was subsequently held in Adiala Jail. He was accused of sharing a statement of a religious scholar without prior verification. Following a successful legal challenge, the court granted him post-arrest bail, and he has since been released from custody.
Speaking to Voicepk, the President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Afzal Butt, described the PECA Act as a severe threat to the freedom of the press. He stated: “We have maintained from day one that the PECA Act is a noose around the necks of journalists. However, since it has now become law, I appeal to my journalist friends to exercise extreme caution in their choice of words while speaking or reporting until we are rid of this legislation”.
He further announced that the PFUJ is launching a formal movement to demand amendments to the law. In this regard, a ‘Pakistan Journalist Convention’ has been summoned in Islamabad on May 22, where the PFUJ will formally reject the PECA Act and present its own draft for alternative rules and regulations.
Tariq Hussain Ghouri, a member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), told Voicepk that the PECA Act is equivalent to a total ban on freedom of expression.
“Pakistan has experienced four periods of martial law, but even then, such strict restrictions on freedom of expression were not heard of as they are in this era,” he said. “We completely oppose this law and demand its total abolition or significant amendments. It is impossible for a country that calls itself democratic to have such laws, as freedom of speech is the hallmark of democratic behavior.”
The court’s decision was met with widespread approval across social media, where journalists hailed it as a victory for truth. Following the confirmation of his bail, Aqil Hussain Baqri expressed his gratitude on his social media accounts to the media organizations and colleagues who supported him during this difficult time.