LAHORE: Anchor­per­son Iqrarul Hassan was allegedly picked up by men in plainclothes, one of whom was wearing an identification tag of the Natio­nal Cyber Crime Investi­gation Agency (NCCIA), from his residence in Lahore in the early hours of Monday, his family said.

Punjab minister Azma Bokhari clarified police had not arrested Mr Hassan and the matter was being investigated.

In a video, Far­ah Iqrar said she and her husband were at their residence in DHA when men in plainclothes broke open the main gate, entered the pre­mises at around 3am and took Mr Hassan away.

She alleged that the men manhandled her during the operation and confiscated two mobile phones belonging to her husband, a laptop and her own mo­­bile phone. She added that a masked woman among the raiding party was wearing an NCCIA identification tag.

Mr Hassan had been critical of the government’s policies on social media.

Advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq, counsel for Mr Hassan, said the NCCIA had denied arresting him.

He added that the anc­h­­or had not made any anti-state remarks. “We will move the Lahore High Court for his safe recovery,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2026