Case Update Status

Khurram Iqbal was unlawfully picked up in Lahore and later released by NCCIA following inquiries about a video he posted on X.

Summary of Case

On February 13, Hum News producer Khurram Iqbal was detained for several hours in Lahore before being released by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) later the same day. He was picked up at around 1 pm by unidentified men from his sister’s residence in Lahore. Family members said that armed men in plain clothes had taken him away from the house. Speaking to PPF, Iqbal said that in the afternoon of February 13, he was taken from his sister’s residence in Lahore by unidentified individuals, some in plain clothes. He stated that one individual climbed over the wall to open the gate from inside, after which several others entered the house. A few uniformed police officials were present, and they remained outside the premises, he shared. Iqbal and his family were not shown a search warrant, arrest warrant, or any official documentation despite repeated requests. He was subsequently moved between multiple locations, including the Crime Control Department (CCD) in Achra, Iqbal Town Police Station, and what he believes was the NCCIA office in Gulberg. According to Iqbal, the detention followed his uploading of a video clip on the social media platform X featuring Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during a public address in Mianwali. In the clip, she inadvertently made a remark concerning former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Iqbal maintains that the video was authentic and not doctored. He stated that after posting the clip, social media accounts affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League (N) subjected him to trolling, and threats, including remarks suggesting he should be “taught a lesson.” According to Iqbal, both his clip and versions later shared by party-affiliated accounts were genuine, with differences only in the segment timing. Iqbal said that during questioning by NCCIA he was asked why he had posted the video and was told that it had caused “humiliation.” He stated that he offered to apologize if anyone felt insulted. While he described the investigating officers’ conduct during custody as professional and free of direct threats or harassment, he raised serious concerns about the manner in which he was taken from his home. He highlighted the confiscation of mobile phones to prevent communication. He acknowledged and appreciated the intervention his employer and colleagues at Hum News for their support, particularly the network’s owner, Duraid Qureshi, who remained in contact with his family and reached out to government officials during his detention. Talking to PPF, News producer Imran Mangi said, “As a producer at Hum News in Karachi, I have witnessed many difficult news cycles, but what happened to our colleague Khurram Iqbal was deeply disturbing on both a professional and personal level. Journalism is built on the simple principle that verified information must reach the public, regardless of whom it favors or challenges”. “When Khurram uploaded an authentic video clip related to a political rally, he was performing his duty as a journalist. The reaction that followed — trolling, threats, and eventually his sudden detention — raised serious concerns within our newsroom”, he further added Describing the situation, he said, “when we learned that unknown individuals had entered his residence in Lahore and taken him without presenting a warrant, anxiety spread quickly among colleagues. The uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts was particularly troubling. As media professionals, we regularly report on issues of governance, accountability, and civil rights, but it becomes profoundly unsettling when one of our own becomes the subject of such an incident”. On communication grounds between team coordination, he added that throughout the day, there was constant communication between our Karachi and Lahore teams. Senior management remained engaged, contacting relevant officials and ensuring that Khurram’s family was supported. While it was later shared that the officials who questioned him behaved professionally, the manner in which he was taken from his home and the psychological distress caused to him and his family cannot be overlooked. “This episode has forced many of us in the newsroom to reflect on the environment in which we are working. Journalism requires courage, but it should not require fear for one’s safety or family. Differences over reporting should be addressed through clarification, rebuttal, or dialogue — not through actions that create intimidation, He added. At last, he assured that,” At Hum News, we stand by the principle that the role of journalism is to inform society responsibly and truthfully. Freedom of expression and adherence to the rule of law are essential pillars of any democratic system. Incidents like this reinforce why those principles must be protected — not just for journalists, but for the public’s right to know”. Several media bodies condemned the detention and called for his safe recovery, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE). AEMEND expressed concern over what it described as a growing pattern of harassment of journalists, registration of cases against them, and curbs on freedom of expression. PBA reiterated its demand for ensuring the safety and security of journalists and media workers so they may perform their professional responsibilities without fear or intimidation.

Category of Incident

Detention

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions:

ICCS Group:

ICCS Class:

ICCS Crime:

Reported By

Dawn

Date of incident

13

Month

February

Year

2026

Name of affected person

Khurram Iqbal

Other affected persons

N/A

Name of affected organization

Hum News

Other affected organizations

N/A

Action by

National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA)

City

Lahore

Province

Punjab

Designation

Producer

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation was announced

Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation was announced

Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation was announced

Date compensation paid by others: No compensation was announced

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: No

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: No

Court where case was presented:

Name of prosecuting lawyer:

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case:

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

APNS

CPNE

PBA

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

Speaking to PPF, News producer Imran Mangi said, “As a producer at Hum News in Karachi, I have witnessed many difficult news cycles, but what happened to our colleague Khurram Iqbal was deeply disturbing on both a professional and personal level. Journalism is built on the simple principle that verified information must reach the public, regardless of whom it favors or challenges”. “When Khurram uploaded an authentic video clip related to a political rally, he was performing his duty as a journalist. The reaction that followed — trolling, threats, and eventually his sudden detention — raised serious concerns within our newsroom”, he further added Describing the situation, he said, “when we learned that unknown individuals had entered his residence in Lahore and taken him without presenting a warrant, anxiety spread quickly among colleagues. The uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts was particularly troubling. As media professionals, we regularly report on issues of governance, accountability, and civil rights, but it becomes profoundly unsettling when one of our own becomes the subject of such an incident”. On communication grounds between team coordination, he added that throughout the day, there was constant communication between our Karachi and Lahore teams. Senior management remained engaged, contacting relevant officials and ensuring that Khurram’s family was supported. While it was later shared that the officials who questioned him behaved professionally, the manner in which he was taken from his home and the psychological distress caused to him and his family cannot be overlooked. “This episode has forced many of us in the newsroom to reflect on the environment in which we are working. Journalism requires courage, but it should not require fear for one’s safety or family. Differences over reporting should be addressed through clarification, rebuttal, or dialogue — not through actions that create intimidation, He added. At last, he assured that,” At Hum News, we stand by the principle that the role of journalism is to inform society responsibly and truthfully. Freedom of expression and adherence to the rule of law are essential pillars of any democratic system. Incidents like this reinforce why those principles must be protected — not just for journalists, but for the public’s right to know”.

Employer organization

Press Club Status

Press club 1:

Press club 2:

Press club 3: