PML-N MPA Gets Interim Bail in Momina Iqbal Harassment Case

PML-N Punjab Assembly member Saqib Chadhar obtained interim pre-arrest bail from a Lahore court on Friday, a day after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered a case against him on allegations of harassing television actor Momina Iqbal. The development has drawn major public attention because it combines politics, celebrity visibility, cybercrime law and questions about women’s safety online.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Irfan Ahmad Sheikh heard Chadhar’s bail plea and restrained the NCCIA from arresting him until June 24. The court also directed the agency to submit the relevant case record at the next hearing, making the coming proceedings important for both the complainant and the accused lawmaker.

Chadhar appeared before the court with his counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq, as the case moved from social media controversy into formal legal proceedings. The bail order does not decide the allegations; it only gives the MPA temporary protection from arrest while investigators and the court examine the material placed on record.

The case was registered on Iqbal’s complaint under provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and the Pakistan Penal Code. The complaint includes allegations of cyber harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation, blackmail, defamation, unlawful surveillance and threats against the actor and her family, all of which remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny.

According to the complaint cited in the report, Iqbal alleged that the lawmaker, along with his wife and other known and unknown associates, ran a sustained campaign against her after she rejected a marriage proposal. The complaint further alleged attempts to access private data, threats involving personal material and conduct that caused emotional, reputational and professional harm.

The matter first gained wider attention after Iqbal’s online appeal went viral and prompted a response from senior PML-N leadership. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz later warned on X that any use of political pressure, influence or threats involving personal content in the case would be met with strict action, signaling that the issue had moved beyond a private dispute.

Dawn reported that the NCCIA had earlier summoned both Iqbal and Chadhar after receiving the actor’s complaint. The agency’s Punjab leadership recorded statements before the case was formally lodged, while preliminary technical and forensic analysis of devices was also cited as part of the basis for registration of the FIR.

The case has intensified public debate in Pakistan over cyber harassment, power imbalance and the ability of women, including public figures, to seek protection when private digital material is allegedly used as pressure. It also puts political parties under scrutiny over how they respond when elected representatives face serious allegations involving abuse of influence.

For the entertainment industry, the case is being watched as another reminder of how online abuse, reputational threats and digital intimidation can affect careers and personal safety. For lawmakers, it raises questions about accountability, party discipline and whether cybercrime institutions can handle politically sensitive complaints without fear or favour.

The next major step will come on June 24, when the court is expected to review the agency’s record and decide how the bail proceedings should move forward. Until then, investigators are likely to continue examining evidence, while both sides prepare for a legal battle that has already become one of the day’s most discussed Pakistan stories.