LAHORE: A sessions court on Tuesday granted post-arrest bail to podcast host Rehan Tariq in a case registered under blasphemy law and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered the case after which the Youtuber was arrested from Lahore airport on his return from abroad.
Representing Tariq in the court, Advocate Mian Dawood argued that the prosecution had failed to produce any evidence linking his client to the alleged social media uploads. He said that conducting an interview and asking questions on historical or religious matters is a constitutionally protected journalistic function, adding that the FIR does not specify which questions were allegedly objectionable.
The lawyer stated that opinions obtained from prominent religious scholars state that the questions asked by his client in the podcast in-question did not amount to disrespect of any revered Islamic personality. He argued that the petitioner was entitled to bail because the prosecution allegedly failed to comply with the requirements of Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc).
He pointed out that the alleged offences fell within the non-prohibitory clause, the investigation had been completed, no further recovery was required and the case warrants further inquiry.
Opposing the bail plea, NCCIA SHO Najam Bajwa contended before the court that the pod-caster had deliberately asked controversial questions in a manner that could provoke religious and sectarian discord.
He admitted that the religious scholar, who was the guest in the podcast, had not been nominated in the FIR. He asked the court to reject the bail application.
After hearing detailed arguments from both sides, Additional District & Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqi Malik allowed the bail petition subject to furnishing of Rs100,000 surety bonds.
In his order, the judge observed that the questions asked by the petitioner in his podcast, pertained to Islamic history, a subject that also forms part of the academic curriculum.
“At this tentative stage, the question does not appear to be blasphemous or derogatory in nature,’ the judge noted.
The judge said the agency had already completed the investigation and the petitioner was not required for further investigation.
Earlier, a judicial magistrate had denied post-arrest bail to Tariq, observing that no case of extraordinary concession of bail was made out in the petition.
The NCCIA registered the FIR against Tariq under Section 11 (hate speech) of the Peca 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, says the Youtuber hosted a podcast with a religious scholar and discussed highly sensitive and controversial sectarian issues, allegedly provoking controversy among the followers of different sects.
Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026