Islamabad, March 26, 2025: A judicial magistrate on Wednesday approved a two-day physical remand for senior journalist Waheed Murad, handing him over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with a case related to spreading fake news.
Murad was taken into custody late Tuesday night from his residence, where his mother-in-law, a cancer patient, was also staying. He was presented before Magistrate Abbas Shah in Islamabad, where he claimed:
His defense counsel, Hadi Ali, demanded access to the FIR, alleging that Murad was subjected to unlawful treatment. Another lawyer, Imaan Mazari, informed the court that a petition had been filed against his illegal detention.
The FIA prosecutor stated that Murad had shared a post linked to a banned organisation in Balochistan and that further investigation was needed regarding his social media accounts. The prosecution also sought the recovery of his mobile phone.
Mazari questioned the need for remand, while Hadi Ali argued:
“Journalism has become a crime in this country. Journalists are being arrested to harass them.”
Murad told the court he was taken at 3 AM, blindfolded for hours, and only had his blindfold removed minutes before being presented in court.
The FIA has charged Murad under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) with sections related to glorification of an offence (Section 9), cyber terrorism (Section 10), malicious code (Section 20), and other violations (Section 26).
Murad’s mother-in-law has filed a petition for his recovery, represented by Advocates Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha. The plea names the Interior Secretary, Defence Secretary, Islamabad IGP, and Karachi Company police station SHO as respondents.
According to the petition, masked individuals in black uniforms arrived at Murad’s Sector G-8 residence at 2 AM, accompanied by two police vehicles. The petition claims that Murad was forcibly taken away, and the intruders misbehaved with the family.
A complaint was lodged at the Karachi Company police station, but no FIR was registered. The petition demands Murad’s immediate recovery and legal action against those responsible for his alleged abduction.
