A local court in Lahore granted two-day remand to Falak Javed at the National Cyber Crime Agency for recovering his password and extracting data from his mobile phone in a case relating to uploading obscene material and anti-state content on social media.
According to Express News, the accused was produced before the Lahore Judicial Magistrate in two separate cases by the National Cyber Crime Agency (NCCA), where Justice Naeem Wattoo presided over the proceedings.
During the hearing, the NCCA representative informed the court that investigators were unable to access the data stored in the accused’s mobile phone. The agency claimed that Javed provided incorrect answers during questioning and did not grant access to his phone when asked.
When the judge asked whether the accused’s social media account had been suspended, the NCCA official said no, adding that due to repeated and unsuccessful attempts, access could only be restored after 48 hours.
The agency requested an extension of the pretrial detention to recover the password and extract the data from the device. However, the judge expressed concern about the repeated requests for pre-trial detention, observing that Javed was “a woman, not a terrorist” and that she was a Pakistani citizen with constitutional rights.
The court questioned the need for further remand, saying: “If the NCCA continues to seek remand after remand, what is the purpose of the law? Pakistan is a state that guarantees the rights of its citizens. If courts continue to act only on the requests of institutions, what happens to the constitutional rights of freedom of expression and due process?”
Learn more: Falak Javed arrested for sedition and fake video cases
Javed addressed the court, stating that she was not called for questioning even once during the remand period. “Where is the complainant who accused me of uploading a video? Has she provided any evidence? I am being treated as a witness and accused at the same time,” she said.
She also questioned gender bias in the proceedings, remarking: “It is often said that Azma Bokhari is a woman. Am I not a woman too? If there is evidence that I uploaded the content, why am I repeatedly summoned for questioning?”
His lawyer, Barrister Maroof, argued that the NCCA had repeatedly requested remand on the same grounds, without any progress. “If nothing has been found in 14 days, what difference will two more days make? This is not a case of terrorism, it is a simple investigation that is being dragged out unnecessarily,” he said.
He added that no devices or evidence had been recovered from his client and that the NCCA had not provided copies of the file. The defense lawyer also questioned the absence of female officers during the investigation, saying there was no record of an official visit to the prison or from a female officer.
During the hearing, Javed also complained that her belongings had not been returned despite the court’s orders. The NCCA official responded that his items were in the lock and the key was not immediately available.
The defense accused the NCCA of ignoring court directives, arguing that the case was being conducted based on speculation rather than evidence. “The complainant, the investigator and the witness appear to be the same person – this investigation is biased,” the lawyer argued.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict and later announced its decision, approving two days’ further remand of Javed.
