PHC Grants Transit Bail to Noreen Niazi in Peca Case
The Peshawar High Court on Monday granted transit bail to Noreen Niazi, the sister of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. The court directed her to approach the relevant court in Islamabad by August 20, giving temporary protection from arrest while the legal process moves to the proper jurisdiction.
The case was taken up by a single-member bench headed by Justice Arshad Ali. Noreen appeared before the court through a legal team that included Ali Zaman, Amir Zeb and Barrister Sarwar Muzaffar Shah, seeking relief after a complaint was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency in Islamabad.
According to the court proceedings, the FIR was lodged on July 27 under sections of the Peca law and the Pakistan Penal Code. The agency accused Noreen of making remarks against state institutions during a podcast interview and through clips that later circulated on social media platform X.
The bench accepted the request for interim transit pre-arrest bail after considering the arguments placed before it. The court ordered Noreen to submit bail bonds worth Rs80,000 with two sureties and made it clear that the protection would remain valid only until the date fixed for approaching the competent Islamabad forum.
Noreen’s lawyers argued that the allegations were politically motivated and that their client had been wrongly dragged into the case. They also claimed that police action was being pursued with improper motives and that the statements attributed to her had been interpreted in a misleading manner.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Noreen said she learned about the cybercrime case after reaching Peshawar. She maintained that several cases had been registered against members of her family and questioned why such legal actions were being initiated across different parts of the country.
The controversy began after the NCCIA summoned her in July over alleged online content linked to remarks about state institutions. The matter drew wider attention because one circulated clip involved claims connected to Pakistan’s recent tensions with India, a subject that remains highly sensitive in national political and security debate.
The case carries political importance because it involves the family of Imran Khan at a time when PTI continues to challenge legal actions against its leadership and supporters. It also adds to the ongoing national debate over the use of cybercrime laws, political speech, institutional criticism and the limits of online expression in Pakistan.
The next major step will come before August 20, when Noreen is expected to approach the relevant court in Islamabad for further relief. Until then, the PHC order gives her temporary protection but does not decide the merits of the case, meaning the investigation and future court proceedings will determine how the matter develops.