Iqrar-ul-Hassan's plea against physical remand rejected

The district and sessions court east on Thursday dismissed a petition challenging the physical remand of Awam Raj Party chief Iqrar-ul-Hassan, who is in the custody of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a four-day physical remand.

During the hearing, the NCCIA prosecutor and investigating officer appeared before the court.

Defence counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq argued that Iqrar-ul-Hassan had been arrested during a raid on his residence in DHA, Lahore, on the night of October 12. He said his client was a permanent resident of Lahore and the FIR did not mention the time of his arrest.

The counsel said a video had been uploaded to his client's social media page, but there was no complainant or aggrieved party in the case. He questioned the legality of the proceedings, arguing that the case concerned digital and cyber matters. Responding to a query from the judge about the legal provisions invoked in the FIR, Ashfaq said the video had been uploaded at 7:46pm and a report was filed two hours later. He alleged that the FIR had been registered on the basis of a source report.

The defence counsel maintained that Iqrar-ul-Hassan, a political party chief and prominent anchorperson, had the right to express his views within the limits of the law.

Ashfaq also submitted a transcript of the controversial video, arguing that his client's remarks against governor's rule were not illegal.