A judicial magistrate in Islamabad granted post-arrest bail to senior journalist Fakharur Rehman, who had been detained by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The case, filed against multiple individuals, alleged the dissemination of “false and misleading information against state institutions” on social media platform X. Rehman was charged under provisions related to dignity and the spread of fake information. During the hearing, the defence argued that the journalist had merely shared a statement and that his device had already been recovered, calling the case baseless. The prosecution opposed the bail, citing the responsibilities of journalism. The court granted bail against surety bonds of Rs50,000. The case has raised broader concerns about the use of cybercrime laws to target journalists and the implications for freedom of expression and media independence in Pakistan.