ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Saturday sent journalist Bilal Ghouri to jail on judicial remand after rejecting a request by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for a further five days of physical custody.
Ghouri was brought before a district and sessions court in Islamabad after completing a two-day physical remand.
Judicial Magistrate Malik Aman presided over the hearing.
The NCCIA sought an extension of Ghouri’s physical remand for five more days. The investigating officer told the court that forensic analysis of devices recovered from the journalist was still required.
Defence lawyer Imran Shafiq opposed the request.
He told the court that the devices were already in the possession of the authorities and that Ghouri’s presence was not required for their forensic examination.
The lawyer also questioned what progress had been made during the two-day remand.
The court observed that the NCCIA had failed to provide a concrete reason for seeking further physical custody.
It also noted that no significant progress had been made during the earlier two-day remand.
The request for further physical remand was rejected.
Ghouri was then sent to jail on judicial remand.
The NCCIA has registered a case against Ghouri under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
