LAHORE: A local judicial court on Wednesday handed over podcast host and YouTuber Rehan Tariq to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a six-day physical remand. The arrest and subsequent legal action stem from charges registered under Pakistan’s cybercrime and blasphemy laws following a controversial broadcast.
The NCCIA registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Tariq on June 25, following a podcast episode featuring a religious scholar. According to official sources, the discussion delved into highly sensitive and volatile sectarian issues, sparking intense backlash and friction among various religious factions.
The state has leveled serious charges against the digital content creator. The FIR includes Section 11 (hate speech) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, alongside several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC): Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), Section 295-A (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings), and Section 298 (uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings).
During the judicial proceedings, the NCCIA produced Tariq before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo at the district courts. The investigating officer informed the bench that the suspect had been intercepted and apprehended at the Lahore Airport immediately upon his arrival from abroad. Arguing that custody was vital to retrieve material evidence and deepen the interrogation, the officer requested physical remand.
The magistrate accepted the plea, granting a six-day physical remand. The court has directed the NCCIA to produce the suspect again upon the expiry of the remand period.
In May, the NCCIA arrested 11 social media activists across various cities in Punjab for allegedly spreading “anti-state propaganda” and inciting public unrest.
