Pakistani court grants bail to TV anchor Iqrarul Hassan — Dawn

A judicial magistrate in Karachi, Pakistan, granted bail to TV anchor Iqrarul Hassan, who had been in custody in a case concerning the alleged dissemination through official social media accounts of anti-state, false and defamatory content. Lawyer Ahmad Masood confirmed the decision to Dawn.

Bail of 200,000 rupees

According to Masood, Judicial Magistrate of the East District Gulraiz Memon granted Hassan bail on October 31 against surety bonds of 200,000 Pakistani rupees. Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency arrested the TV anchor as part of proceedings registered in Karachi.

Hassan is accused under several provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. According to the agency, the case concerns the alleged dissemination of anti-state, false and defamatory content. This is the investigation’s claim, not a fact established by a court.

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Investigators await forensic report

The lawyer said that a charge sheet had been submitted to the court and that Hassan’s electronic devices were in the authorities’ possession. During the hearing, agency representatives stated that no further investigative action involving the TV anchor was needed, but that they were awaiting a forensic report.

On October 22, the same magistrate rejected Hassan’s previous bail application. The defense then appealed to the sessions court, which stated that after the charge sheet was filed, the lawyer could again submit a bail application to the court hearing the case.

On October 19, Hassan was sent to prison under judicial remand for eight days, until October 26. Before that, the agency had requested a further 10 days of his detention for questioning, but the magistrate refused and gave investigators two additional days.