On January 14, a judicial magistrate in Karachi approved the post-arrest bail of journalist Muhammad Aslam Shah, who is facing allegations of defamation and cyberstalking on social media. The court ordered his release upon submission of a Rs30,000 surety bond and a personal recognisance bond.
Shah had applied for bail through his lawyer, Nasir Ahmed, before the judicial magistrate (South). The prosecution, represented by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), opposed the request, while a considerable number of journalists attended the proceedings.
During the hearing, the defence argued that the case had been lodged with malafide intent and that Shah’s conduct fell under the protections provided in Section 7 of the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021. Counsel Ahmed highlighted Shah’s three decades of experience in the field and his work with established print and wire services. He further contended that the charges did not attract punishments that would place them within the prohibitory clause.
The NCCIA prosecutor, Shiraz Rajper, maintained that the allegations involved material shared exclusively on social media and not through recognised media platforms. He argued that circulating such content online contravened legal provisions, even if similar reporting in print or broadcast form would not constitute an offence.
The case was initiated following an FIR registered on December 29, 2025, on the complaint of Tabish Raza Husnain, identified as an officer of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC). It invoked Sections 20 and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, relating to offences against a person’s dignity and cyberstalking. Husnain alleged that Shah had run a defamatory campaign against him and his senior, Colonel Anjum, across Facebook and WhatsApp groups, using inappropriate language and causing reputational damage.
According to the FIR, the NCCIA recorded the complainant’s statement and collected screenshots of the material in question. The agency stated that it had issued repeated notices to Shah to join the inquiry, but he failed to appear, which it described as evasive. Shah was arrested on 7 January 2026, while an earlier hearing on 12 January was adjourned due to the investigating officer’s absence and the unavailability of the case file.
The proceedings come at a time when concerns have been expressed within the media sector about the use of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in cases against journalists. In August 2025, the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting noted increasing unease over FIRs and arrests involving media professionals.
