ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad on Saturday reserved its decision on the request for the physical remand of senior journalist Fakhar Rehman, who was arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over a controversial post on X (formerly Twitter).
The 61-year-old journalist, who also works for the Turkish news channel A Haber, was produced before the court of Duty Magistrate Yasir Mahmood following his arrest by the National Counter Terrorism and Crime Investigation Agency (NCTCIA) from his residence yesterday.
During the hearing, the defence lawyer, Barrister Ahad Khokhar, argued that Fakhar Rehman had not made any personal statement but had merely retweeted and reported a video statement by Maulana Sardar Ali Gardizi. The video in question reportedly contained a harsh reaction to an address delivered by the Chief of Defence Forces to Shia scholars.
گرفتار سینئیر صحافی فخر الرحمان کو جوڈیشل مجسٹریٹ کی عدالت میں پیش کر دیا گیا، این سی سی آئی نے جسمانی ریمانڈ مانگ لیا، بیرسٹر احد کھوکھر نے مقدمہ خارج کرنے کے لئیے دلائل شروع کر دئیے،
فخر کی پوسٹ میں مولانا گردیزی کے بیان کو بصورت ویڈیو پیش کیا گیا، فخر ایک صحافی ہیں اور انہوں… pic.twitter.com/mTXvZYfQCF
— Matiullah Jan (@Matiullahjan919) April 25, 2026
“He is a journalist, and he merely shared Maulana Gardizi’s video,” Khokhar told the court, pointing out that the video of the military chief’s speech was also attached to the post. “So far, there has been no official denial of Maulana Gardizi’s claim.”
The defence further highlighted that the tweet in question had been deleted by the journalist well before the FIR was registered. “Apart from that tweet, the FIR does not mention any other post or video,” the lawyer stated, adding that false propaganda linking Fakhar to a non-existent account named “Islamabad Post” was being circulated on social media, despite no such account being mentioned in the charges.
In contrast, the NCCIA argued for physical remand, claiming that while Fakhar admitted the tweet was his, he had refused to provide the password to his mobile device to verify the content. The agency maintained that physical interrogation was necessary.
The court also heard pleas regarding the journalist’s deteriorating health. His family stated that Fakhar suffers from a severe liver ailment, with his liver functioning at only 30 per cent. They recounted a medical emergency five years ago where he was brought to Holy Family Hospital after vomiting blood, requiring electric shocks to restore his heartbeat.
Advocate Fayyaz Kandwal, representing the defence, submitted that the notice to appear had been received on the same morning without details of the allegations, yet the journalist had offered to delete the post in his written response. “No direct connection to any specific offense against the accused has been established in the FIR,” he argued.
Fakhar Rehman, who has over 35 years of experience reporting for the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did not make any statement on his own behalf during the proceedings. The court is expected to announce its decision on the remand request at a later date.
