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The Lahore High Court (LHC) has granted interim protective bail to Noreen Niazi, sister of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The bail order, issued on Thursday, allows Niazi to approach the relevant court in Islamabad without fear of arrest, as reported by Dawn.

The case stems from a notice issued by the NCCIA on July 18, summoning Niazi to appear at its Islamabad office on Monday, July 20, over allegations of disseminating "false, offensive and inflammatory" content against state institutions. The notice, as reported by both Dawn and The Hindu, stated that Niazi had been found to have spread "fake narratives" on social media, and warned that non-compliance would be treated as having nothing to present in her defence, with penalties under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Coverage comparison

Dawn's reporting focused on the court proceedings, noting that Niazi appeared before the court with her counsel, Barrister Shahryar Riaz. The counsel argued that the case was politically motivated and an attempt to harass her, and that as a permanent resident of Lahore, she feared arbitrary arrest before she could approach the relevant court in Islamabad. Justice Sardar Akbar Ali granted protective bail for one week and directed her to appear before the relevant court before the next hearing.

The Hindu's coverage centered on the NCCIA summons, detailing the accusations and Niazi's alleged remarks. It also included a reaction from Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari, who described Niazi's comments as reflecting the mindset of her brother Imran Khan and deeply regrettable.

Both outlets reported the underlying allegations: that Niazi, in a widely shared interview clip, claimed that last year's brief military conflict between Pakistan and India was "orchestrated" to improve the image of Pakistan's military, and that it was played out in collaboration with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also linked US President Donald Trump's praise of Pakistan's leadership with Israel's recognition, claiming the conflict's objective was to get Israel recognised by Pakistan.

Key claims

The NCCIA notice, as quoted by both Dawn and The Hindu, accused Niazi of disseminating "false, offensive and inflammatory" social media content to defame state institutions and spread "fake narratives." The notice did not specify the exact content, but it was issued after the clip of her interview circulated widely.

In the clip, Niazi alleged that the May 2025 conflict was orchestrated to enhance the military's image, questioning why Modi would have refrained from further attacking Pakistan otherwise. She claimed, without providing evidence, that India refrained from escalating because Pakistan was moving towards recognising Israel, and that the episode aimed to facilitate Islamabad's entry into the Abraham Accords, as reported by The Hindu. Pakistan does not recognise Israel, and the Abraham Accords are US-brokered agreements establishing ties between Israel and several Arab nations.

Dawn reported that the FIR, registered on Monday under sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code, alleged that Niazi and others had been involved in "preparing, publishing, propagating, glorifying, disseminating and promoting highly offensive, derogatory, inflammatory and intimidating content" on social media, deliberately targeting security and state institutions, and targeting the reputation of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Perspectives

Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari, as quoted by The Hindu, reacted strongly to Niazi's remarks, saying they reflected the mindset of her brother Imran Khan and were deeply regrettable.

Counsel for Noreen Niazi, Barrister Shahryar Riaz, as reported by Dawn, argued that the allegations were politically motivated and part of an attempt to harass her, and that she feared arbitrary arrest.