Sohrab Barkat | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday restored the bail of journalist Sohrab Barkat in the last remaining case registered against him by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), setting aside a trial court’s order that had cancelled his post-arrest bail. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the petition filed by Barkat challenging a decision by the trial court revoking his bail. After hearing arguments, the IHC nullified the impugned order and directed the authorities to release the journalist forthwith, if not required in any other case. Barrister Saad Rasool appeared on Barkat’s behalf and contended that the trial court had erred in cancelling the bail despite compliance with all conditions previously imposed. Allowing the petition, the high court observed that the order of the trial court could not be sustained and restored the bail, effectively clearing the way for Barkat’s release. The case against Barkat has been registered over accusations of spreading misinformation about sta...

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted journalist Sohrab Barkat post-arrest bail against surety bonds worth Rs200,000 in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). The case against Barkat has been registered over accusations of spreading misinformation about state institutions during an interview he conducted. A two-member bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and including Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up Barkat’s bail petition in the case, which was filed against a January 21 order of the Lahore High Court (LHC) that had rejected the journalist’s previous bail plea. The petition was moved by Advocate Saad Rasool on Barkat’s behalf with the latter currently imprisoned at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore. During the hearing on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Raja Muhammad Shafqat Abbasi contended that the charges levelled against Barkat entailed 10 years’ imprisonment. Justice Afghan, however, observed that the court even granted bail to those facing charges u...