A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday approved post-arrest bail for journalist Waheed Murad, who had been held for two days under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws. The court granted him bail against Rs50,000 surety bonds following his appearance before Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah.
Murad had been remanded to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly posting “intimidating content” on social media. His legal counsel, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, argued in court that Murad merely quoted statements by Balochistan politician Akhtar Mengal.
The FIA told the court that Murad’s posts referenced Mengal’s claim that a “Baloch genocide” was taking place. The judge asked the agency what concrete evidence had been collected, and later approved bail without extending remand.
Before his court appearance, Murad’s family had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), alleging that he had been forcibly taken from his home in Sector G-8. The petition, submitted by his mother-in-law Abida Nawaz, said masked individuals in black uniforms, accompanied by police vehicles, abducted Murad around 2:05am.
Abida, who claimed to witness the incident, said she was manhandled and her phone was taken. The petition named the federal government, the Defence Ministry, and senior Islamabad police officials as respondents, urging the court to trace Murad’s whereabouts and investigate those responsible.
The family’s legal team said Murad had recently spoken out about the alleged enforced disappearance of two brothers of US-based journalist Ahmad Noorani. According to lawyer Mazari, the manner of Murad’s abduction mirrored past incidents involving intelligence agencies.
A first information report (FIR) was later registered against Murad by the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre. He was booked under Sections 9, 10, 20, and 26A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, which include charges of glorifying offences and cyberterrorism.
The FIR stated that Murad had disseminated “fake, misleading and misinterpreted information” that allegedly incited hatred against government officials. It also mentioned his sharing of a FactFocus report by journalist Ahmad Noorani, which included images of the army chief’s family and accompanying remarks the FIA deemed intimidating.
Murad is affiliated with Urdu News and has previously worked with News One, Daily Ausaf, and operates the independent news website Pakistan24. His arrest and subsequent release have drawn criticism from media circles and rights advocates concerned about growing pressure on independent journalism in Pakistan.
