Update in Sanam Javaid’s cybercrime case

LAHORE: Journalist Sohrab Barakat has been granted a four-day physical remand by the Lahore District Court (LDC) in connection with remarks made during an interview with activist Sanam Javaid.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is investigating the case, which revolves around comments aired during the interview, though Barakat’s defense maintains that he was not responsible for the content in question.

A news report by Express Tribune noted on Friday that the case came before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Naeem Wattoo, who approved the remand following a request from NCCIA investigators. According to the First Information Report (FIR), Barakat conducted the interview with Sanam Javaid, during which controversial remarks were made.

However, Barakat’s lawyer has argued that Barakat was merely the interviewer and not the owner of the channel “Politics Drop PK”, which aired the interview. The lawyer clarified that Adeel, not Barakat, is the channel’s owner and that Barakat’s role was limited to conducting the interview.

In his defense, Barakat’s lawyer argued that the journalist had intended to attend an international conference from November 10 to November 12, 2025, but was prevented from boarding his flight by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). When Barakat approached the court, the Islamabad court received a report from the FIA confirming that he was not wanted in any case. Despite this, Barakat was re-arrested the following night at Islamabad airport by the NCCIA without any transit remand being presented.

The lawyer also noted that neither Barakat nor the channel uploaded the interview, and the individuals responsible for the controversial remarks had already been arrested. He further emphasized that Barakat was simply a salaried employee following editorial instructions, adding that the editorial board was responsible for content editing and deciding what was broadcast.

During the habeas corpus petition hearing, Barakat stated that the NCCIA had already obtained remand in the case. The investigation officer argued that remand was necessary to extract data from Barakat’s mobile phone and identify the individuals responsible for running the channel. The court also noted that the interview had been conducted in the morning but aired at 9 p.m., raising questions about the editorial process.

The court pointed out that Barakat had made no remarks himself, and that any statements broadcast were from Sanam Javaid, the interviewee. In response to questions from the court, the NCCIA officer explained that senior officers needed more time to be briefed, requesting 10-30 days of remand. However, the court granted a four-day physical remand to allow the investigation to proceed.

The case has drawn attention due to the involvement of a journalist and the debate over freedom of the press, editorial responsibility, and accountability for content aired by media channels.