KARACHI: A district court on Wednesday extended by one week an interim pre-arrest bail of journalist Shahzeb Ali Shah Jillani in a case pertaining to cyber terrorism, electronic forgery and giving defamatory remarks about institutions of the state.

The Federal Investigation Agency had booked Mr Jillani in a case registered under Sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Sections 10(a) (cyber terrorism), 11 (hate speech) and 20 (offences against dignity of a natural person) of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, on a complaint filed by Moulvi Iqbal Haider.

On April 11, the court had granted the journalist an interim bail before arrest against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

On Wednesday, the judge extended Mr Jillani`s interim bail till April 24 on the request of his counsel Salman Mirza and summoned the investigation officer on the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2019