A Canadian PhD student, Hamza Ahmad Khan, who went missing last week from his home in DHA Phase 10, was found in the custody of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and sent to jail for 14 days on judicial remand. The case is related to his social media posts that allegedly targeted state institutions and officials.
According to the FIR at the Defence-A police station, Hamza disappeared in the early hours of February 19. His friend filed a complaint reporting his kidnapping, and police registered a case. Lahore police said they were unaware of his whereabouts until he was produced before a magistrate.
The NCCIA said Hamza had posted content on X and Instagram that criticized state functionaries and institutions. The FIR, filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, said the posts appeared intended to create unrest, spread hostility, and harm Pakistan’s reputation.
Early investigations showed that his online activity included content that could defame political and constitutional leaders and reduce public trust in state institutions. The NCCIA said the posts posed a serious risk to social order and the country’s image.
Hamza was presented before a magistrate on Monday and sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand. The cybercrime agency is continuing to investigate his online activity.
Questions Raised Over Evidence of Alleged Posts
While the NCCIA has said its case against Hamza Ahmad Khan is based on posts on X and Instagram that allegedly targeted state institutions, there is currently no independently published evidence showing these posts were publicly visible or actually present at the time of his arrest. Also that if such posts once existed, they may have been deleted or removed before the case became public.
This lack of visible evidence has raised questions among people and media about the basis on which the arrest was justified, and they are calling for clearer documentation so the public can see what exactly the charges relate to.
