Journalist Bilal Ghori was produced before a district and sessions court in a PECA Act case as the NCCIA sought 10 days of physical remand.
ISLAMABAD: Journalist Bilal Ghori was produced before a district and sessions court in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) seeking 10 days of physical remand.
The court, however, approved three days of physical remand for the journalist.
During the proceedings, the NCCIA investigator told the court that recovery of Ghori’s YouTube and X accounts was available as part of the investigation.
Ghori’s lawyers opposed the request for physical remand and questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Lawyer Hanzala Habib said the vlog in question was uploaded on Sept. 5 and alleged that Ghori was arrested directly without being served any notice.
He also said the perception that had developed about the country’s courts was not appropriate.
Another lawyer, Imran Shafique, argued that the complete program was available on YouTube and maintained that there was nothing false or incorrect in Ghori’s remarks.
“Let the NCCIA point out where the false information is in Bilal Ghori’s vlog,” Shafique said.
He argued that Ghori had only read a notification that had been issued and questioned what was false about saying that further promotion did not appear possible.
Shafique also said the notification had been circulated around the world and questioned why Ghori had been arrested over discussing it.
During the proceedings, Ghori was questioned about remarks made in his vlog.
When asked about the comments, Ghori said he had been discussing the performance of an institution and was not speaking against Lt. Gen. Faisal Naseer personally.
He said he was talking about the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
The judicial magistrate asked Ghori what he had said at the end of the vlog.
Ghori replied that he had said, “Whatever the field marshal says, they will do the same.”
The judge then asked whether Ghori would make a similar statement about him, saying, “Whatever the sessions judge says, they will do.”
Ghori responded that the judiciary was independent, whereas the institution under discussion had a chain of command and its members were subordinate to that command.
Journalist Asif Bashir Chaudhry also spoke during the proceedings, saying journalists were standing before the court and questioning whether journalism could be conducted if such circumstances continued.
The judicial magistrate questioned whether the words used in the vlog were appropriate.
The court ultimately granted the NCCIA three days of physical remand of Bilal Ghori.
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