The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted one-week protective bail to Noreen Niazi, sister of former prime minister Imran Khan, in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Justice Sardar Akbar Dogar heard Niazi’s petition seeking protective bail. The court restrained authorities from arresting her during the bail period and directed her to approach the relevant court within one week for further legal relief.
During the hearing, Niazi’s counsel argued that the NCCIA had registered a case against her under the PECA Act and that there were concerns she could be arrested before obtaining interim bail from the competent court.
Accepting the request, the court granted protective bail and instructed the petitioner to seek appropriate legal remedies before the relevant forum within the stipulated time.
NCCIA inquiry
The development comes days after the NCCIA summoned Noreen Niazi for an inquiry following the circulation of an interview on social media.
According to a notice issued by the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Niazi was directed to appear before investigators to record her statement in connection with allegations of disseminating "false, offensive, and inflammatory" content on social media.
The notice, issued under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, stated that the inquiry was related to content allegedly aimed at defaming state institutions and spreading false narratives.
It warned that failure to appear could result in legal action under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Background
The inquiry was initiated after Niazi made remarks during an interview on a YouTube channel regarding Maarka-e-Haq, the Pakistan Army and regional developments.
In the interview, she alleged that Maarka-e-Haq was a collaboration between the Pakistan armed forces and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also claimed that Israel was influencing regional developments and alleged that Pakistan was moving towards recognising Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Her comments drew criticism from political leaders, including members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
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