Case Update Status

Matter dismissed by District Judge Murid Abbas. The court ordered the release of journalist Khalid Jamil, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to remove his handcuffs immediately. The court cited Article 19 of Pakistan's constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.

Summary of Case

In the evening of Aug 22, a senior Journalist and former anchor at ABN News, Khalid Jamil, currently working as a freelancer, was arrested by the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) at his home in Media Town, Islamabad, allegedly spreading fake and misleading information against government functionaries and national security members. According to Tribune, Islamabad-based journalist Khalid Jamil was arrested by the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from his home in Media Town, Islamabad. The report suggested that the NCCIA confirmed the arrest in a statement, saying it followed "completion of official procedures" and that more details would be provided later. As per the report, a case had been registered against Jamil earlier this year, though no further specifics were given. FIR #218/2025 was registered on August 8, 2025, at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Islamabad, against Khalid Jamil on the complaint of state through via Anees Ur Rehman, NCCIA Islamabad, under sections 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 (Amended 2025). According to FIR, Jamil was accused of sharing "highly intimidating content" on his Twitter account, on May 7, during Indo-Pak tension, spreading fake and misleading information that could lead to hatred against government functionaries and national security members. The enquiry found his social media activities were intended to instigate public discontent and erode trust in state institutions. Khalid Jamil had expressed his viewpoint, criticizing Pakistan forces' response to the alleged Indian missile attack in May 2025 on locations including Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, Ahmedpur Sharqia, Bagh, and Muridke. He advocated for using the Eagles' "Ababeel" missile as the response, highlighting its capability to fire eight missiles at eight different cities simultaneously from the air, detailing that the Ababeel missile has a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, potentially targeting cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. According to Khalid Jamil, the Indian attack occurred at five locations. Pakistani officials reportedly stated that retaliatory actions destroyed the Indian Army's brigade headquarters, two air force fighter jets, and a military post in the Dudanial sector on the Line of Control. Khalid Jamil also made remarks about historical tensions between India and Pakistan. He mentioned that India occupied Siachen, referencing General Zia's comment that even grass doesn't grow there. He recalled India martyred Pakistani soldiers in Kargil, with General Musharraf refusing to recognize them as Pakistanis. He noted recent Indian attacks on Pakistani cities, with retaliation in Kashmir. Jamil also criticized the Pakistani system, stating it is under the control of "extremely short-sighted frogs from the well." Jamil had made a statement that the Indian attack can be remedied by retaliation, but the hatred that has arisen as a result of the attack on the country and nation, with the help of the 26th Amendment and the Constitutional Bench, will never end. Veteran journalist Matiullah Jan shared on X that District Judge Murid Abbas ordered the release of journalist Khalid Jamil, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to remove his handcuffs immediately. The court cited Article 19 of Pakistan's constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, ruling that Khalid Jamil's tweets about historical events like the Kargil conflict, the Pak-India war, and the Siachen war were historical facts and did not constitute defamation of institutions. According to the order passed by Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Murid Abbas Khan on August 23, 2025, in the case of The State Vs. Khalid Jamil, the prosecution's request for a 6-day physical remand of Khalid Jamil was denied. The judge cited the lack of incriminating evidence against Khalid Jamil and emphasized the importance of freedom of speech as guaranteed by Pakistan's Constitution. The order stated that the remarks quoted in the FIR did not fall within the ambit of propagation or derogation. Given the absence of incriminating material against Khalid Jamil, the court discharged him from the instant case. Nevertheless, news also surfaced that Jamil was arrested over his comments on the controversy involving Sohail Warraich and the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. According to 24 News HD, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) arrested journalist Khalid Jamil for sharing a controversial post on social media about security officials. The report indicates that Jamil posted about a sensitive agency, specifically making a controversial post related to a sensitive agency and senior journalist Sohail Warraich. The contextual underpinnings of the subject are that Sohail Warraich, a senior journalist and columnist from Pakistan, wrote a column describing his "first meeting" with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Brussels, Belgium. This sparked a heated debate on Pakistani social media and drew a strong response from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In the column published in Daily Jang on August 16, Warraich wrote that Field Marshal Asim Munir said "political reconciliation is possible by a sincere apology" when asked about politics. However, the column didn't specify who was being referred to in the question or who was the target of the Army Chief's response. The head of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, later on Aug 21 in a meeting with Journalists, clarified that the Army Chief did not give an interview to anyone in Brussels, did not mention Tehreek-e-Insaf, and did not talk about an apology. This clarification led to another uproar, adding to the debate surrounding Warraich's column, as reported by BBC Jamil also participated in the debate and commented on the controversy made by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, criticizing him that one should only say or write something they can stand by and not have to backtrack on later. The image highlighted by 24 News HD shows two tweets from Khalid Jamil, with the first tweet quoting a statement and the second tweet providing his own commentary. The first tweet reads, "نانی نے خصم کیا، نرا کیا، نرا کر کے چھوڑ دیا اور بُرا کیا," which translates to "The grandmother did this, did that, and then did something else, and it was bad." The second tweet says, "سهیل وڑائچ نے تو وہی لکھا جو اسے کہا گیا، بندے کو وہ بات ہی کرنی چاہئیے جس پر قائم نہ رہے سکے اور چند روز بعد تردید کرنی پڑے" which translates to "Sohail Warraich wrote what he was told, a person should only say what they can stand by and not have to retract after a few days." News of Khalid Jamil's arrest started spreading on social media by the eve of Aug 22. Journalist Asad Ali Toor posted on X that Jamil had been taken into custody by FIA and NCCIA officials. Additionally, Khalid Yusuf Chaudhry, a lawyer for PTI founder Imran Khan, shared a video depicting NCCIA officials transporting Jamil in a white car. Chaudhry stated that Jamil was picked up from his residence at 6:36 pm without a warrant, and at the time of arrest, no FIR had been registered nor was a warrant presented, he wrote. Journalist Javeria Siddiqui, wife of Arshad Siddiqui, also condemned the arrest of Jamil and demanded his immediate release, emphasizing that journalists' rights to free speech must be protected. The Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) condemned the arrest of Khalid Jamil by the National Cyber Crime Agency, describing it as an act of state repression and an attack on freedom of the press. In a statement issued by RIUJ President Tariq Usmani and General Secretary Rizwan Ghilzai, the union stated that this move is a violation of Pakistan's Constitution and an attempt to strangle democratic values and press freedom. The union asserts that harassing, arresting, and trying to silence journalists indicates fear of freedom of expression among the ruling powers. RIUJ demanded the immediate release of Khalid Jamil and an end to reprisals against journalists. Afzal Butt, President, and Arshad Ansari, Secretary General of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), strongly condemned the character assassination of senior journalist Sohail Warraich and the arrest of Khalid Jamil. Madhyamam & Munsif reported that HRP condemned the arrest of Khalid Jamil, describing that the constitution and internationally recognized right to freedom of expression protect journalists, and arresting them for their posts and views constitutes a violation of fundamental rights. The commission demanded the immediate release of Jamil and urged the government to halt the harassment of journalists.

Category of Incident

Arrest; Case Registered

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: N/A

ICCS Group: N/A

ICCS Class: N/A

ICCS Crime: N/A

Reported By

The Express Tribune

Date of incident

22

Month

August

Year

2025

Name of affected person

Khalid Jamil

Other affected persons

N/A

Name of affected organization

Social Media

Other affected organizations

N/A

Action by

FIA

City

Islamabad

Province

Capital

Designation

Freelancer

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

N/A

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: N/A

Date of compensation announcement by government: N/A

Date of compensation paid by government: N/A

Amount of compensation announced by others: N/A

Date of compensation announced by others: N/A

Date compensation paid by others: N/A

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: Yes

Date of FIR: 08/08/2025

FIR Details: 218/2025

Police station of FIR: FIA

Name of complainant: Anees ur Rehman

Name of accused in FIR: Khalid Jamil

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: Yes

Court where case was presented: District Court Islamabad

Name of prosecuting lawyer: Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: Dismissed

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

Not condemned

APNS

Not condemned

CPNE

Not condemned

PBA

Not condemned

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

N/A

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: N/A

Press club 2: N/A

Press club 3: