City Court Grants Bail to Awam Raj Party Chief Iqrar-ul-Hassan

A Karachi city court on Saturday approved the bail application of television anchor and Awam Raj Party chief Syed Iqrar-ul-Hassan in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over alleged anti-state content on social media.

The court ordered Iqrar-ul-Hassan to furnish surety bonds of Rs 200,000 and directed authorities to release him immediately upon submission of the bonds. He appeared before the court via video link due to security and administrative considerations.

Iqrar-ul-Hassan was arrested from his residence in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority earlier this month and later transferred to Karachi. The NCCIA registered FIR No. 101/2026 against him under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), including provisions related to the alleged dissemination of false, defamatory and anti-state material through his social media accounts on X, Instagram and Facebook.

His earlier bail applications had been rejected. A judicial magistrate dismissed his first plea on October 22, citing risks to the ongoing investigation, while a sessions court later turned down a subsequent application.

Defence counsel had argued that the content in question did not amount to promotion of terrorism or glorification of any proscribed organisation and fell within the domain of legitimate public discussion. The court, after hearing arguments from both sides, granted bail subject to the surety condition.