PTI Leader Raoof Hasan Granted Bail in Anti-State Propaganda Case
- PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan received bail from an Islamabad court in an anti-state propaganda case.
- Hasan remains in custody due to an ongoing terrorism case, with remand ending tomorrow.
- The case involves 12 suspects, including allegations of cyber-terrorism and hate speech under the PECA Act.
An Islamabad court approved the bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Raoof Hasan in an anti-state propaganda case on Thursday. The verdict was issued by Duty Magistrate Abbas Shah, a judge of the special court established to hear cases under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act, 2016. Despite this bail, Hasan cannot be released today due to a separate terrorism case, where he remains in custody under a two-day remand by the counter-terrorism department.
Hasan, along with nine other suspects, received bail against bonds worth Rs50,000. The suspects, including Hasan, were taken into custody by Islamabad Police on July 22 and handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The defense counsel argued that the case against the suspects was weak, relying solely on the statement of Waqas Janjua. The counsel emphasized that many suspects were salaried employees with no connection to Hasan.
The court heard that the suspects worked as watchmen, gardeners, and messengers at the PTI Secretariat. The defense questioned the legitimacy of their prolonged detention, pointing out that three women had already received bail while nine others awaited orders. The counsel concluded by questioning the state’s actions against these employees.
The FIA’s FIR detailed allegations against the suspects, including sections 9 (glorification of an offense), 10 (cyber-terrorism), and 11 (hate speech) of the PECA Act. The investigation revealed that PTI activist Ahmad Waqas Janjua, along with the party’s leadership and media cell members, was involved in alleged anti-state propaganda. The FIR stated that the media cell, headed by Hasan, employed various tactics on social media to harm Pakistan’s integrity and incite public unrest.
The FIR further alleged that fake social media accounts were created to launch campaigns against the state and the army, aiming to create chaos. It also claimed that the media cell ran slanderous campaigns following terror incidents to blame government and law enforcement policies.
As the legal proceedings continue, the spotlight remains on the actions and implications of the PTI media cell’s activities, with Hasan and other suspects facing serious allegations under Pakistan’s cyber laws