ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Wednesday issued a summons notice to journalist Asad Ali Toor for an inquiry into alleged dissemination of false information by him.

The notice, available withDawn, named the state as the complainant against Toor for “alleged dissemination, transmission and/or public exhibition of false/fake information”.

It was issued on a complaint filed under Section 26A (punishment for false and fake information) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca).

The journalist was directed to appear before the NCCIA Cybercrime Reporting Centre in Islamabad at 11am on July 31.

The NCCIA warned that failure to appear “without lawful excuse shall be deemed as your unwillingness to offer any defence, and the inquiry will proceed” in his absence.

It added that non-compliance with the notice would be punishable under Section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Toor, in a post on X, also shared the notice, saying “NCCIA has summoned me on this Friday, July 31, 2026 on the complaint of the state”.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026