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The District and Sessions Court in Islamabad granted bail to journalist Waheed Murad on Friday. He had been arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Murad appeared in court after completing a two-day physical remand. Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) brought him before Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah. After the hearing, the judge ordered that Murad be sent to jail on judicial remand.
During the proceedings, the judge asked the FIA about the material recovered from Murad. His lawyer, Imaan Mazari, argued that he had only quoted politician Akhtar Mengal’s words in a social media post. Another lawyer, Hadi Ali Chatha, supported this, stating that Murad’s first tweet was based on Mengal’s statement.
After reviewing the arguments, the court granted Murad’s post-arrest bail against Rs 50,000 surety bonds.
Read more: Senior Journalist Waheed Murad Allegedly Abducted from Home
Earlier, Murad’s mother-in-law filed a petition for his recovery. Lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha submitted the petition on her behalf. The petition named several officials as respondents, including the interior secretary, defence secretary, Islamabad’s inspector general of police and the SHO (station house officer) of Karachi Company police station.
A complaint about Murad’s disappearance was lodged at the Karachi Company police station. However, authorities did not register a formal FIR.
The petition demanded urgent efforts to find Journalist Waheed Murad and legal action against those responsible for his alleged abduction. It highlighted concerns over press freedom and the safety of journalists in Pakistan.
The arrest of Journalist Waheed Murad sparked criticism from journalist groups and human rights organisations, who called for stronger protections for press freedom. Many activists also questioned the use of PECA laws against journalists.
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