LAHORE: A judicial magistrate on Wednesday granted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) a six-day physical remand of podcast host Rehan Tariq in a case registered under the provisions of blasphemy law and the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca).

Earlier, the NCCIA produced Tariq before a magistrate at the district courts.

The investigating officer informed the magistrate that the podcast host was arrested from Lahore airport on his return from abroad, seeking his physical remand for further investigation.

After hearing the agency’s request, Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo granted a six-day physical remand of the suspect.

The magistrate directed the agency to produce Tariq again on the expiry of the remand period.

The NCCIA registered an FIR against Rehan Tariq under Section 11 (hate speech) of the Prevention of Electronic Act 2016, Section 153-A (spreading hate or promoting enmity between different groups), Section 295-A (outraging religious feelings) and Section 298 (uttering words or making gestures with the deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR, registered on June 25, said the suspect conducted a podcast with a religious scholar and discussed highly sensitive and controversial sectarian issues, provoking controversy among the followers of different sects.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026