The court has extended PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan’s physical remand, along with other suspects, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for two additional days. This follows the completion of a three-day remand under the PECA Act.
During a court appearance, the FIA presented Raoof Hassan and others to Duty Judge Mureed Abbas at the District and Sessions Courts in Islamabad. PTI social media activist Syeda Arooba Kanwal, who was arrested the previous day, was also presented for remand. The FIA prosecutor requested an eight-day remand for Arooba, citing the need for forensic analysis of anti-state video transcripts.
Read more: Islamabad Court Approves 3-day Physical Remand for Raoof Hassan and Nine Others
Judge Mureed Abbas questioned whether Raoof Hassan had a visa or travel ticket from India and noted his communications with someone named Rahul. The prosecutor confirmed Hassan had received a ticket from India, while Hassan clarified he is a senior fellow at King’s College London and had been invited to Bahrain as a guest speaker by Rahul.
The FIA prosecutor noted that Arooba manages PTI’s X account and has not surrendered the accounts. PTI’s lawyer argued that Arooba’s role as a social media employee and the focus on mobile phones, all in FIA custody, were central to the case. Advocate Ali Bukhari sought discharge for Raoof Hassan and others. After considering the arguments, the court granted a two-day physical remand for Hassan and the others, while Arooba was sent to jail on judicial remand.
