Complaint from Islamabad, inquiry in Multan and journalist in Lahore

Journalist and YouTuber Syed Imran Shafqat is among the journalists who have faced an inquiry by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over their online content. His case, however, has taken an interesting turn, with a complaint filed by the federal information minister leading to a legal dispute over the agency’s jurisdiction.

A complaint originating in Islamabad, a journalist based in Lahore and an inquiry initiated through the NCCIA office in Multan have brought an unusual legal question before the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Who has the authority to investigate a journalist, and where should such an inquiry take place?

The case began after Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar filed a complaint against Shafqat over his social media content. The NCCIA subsequently issued him a notice, asking him to appear before its Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Multan.

According to Freedom Network, the inquiry was registered on July 24, 2026, under reference number ENQ-CCRC-MTN-1549/26. The notice alleged that Shafqat had shared false, fabricated and malicious content targeting government institutions and public figures through social media.

The notice required him to appear before investigators, record his statement and present his original Computerised National Identity Card.

Shafqat challenged the proceedings before the Lahore High Court, arguing that the NCCIA’s Multan office had no territorial jurisdiction over him because he was a permanent resident of Lahore.

He also maintained that the agency could not initiate an inquiry against him simply for criticising, commenting on or analysing government policies.

His lawyer, Advocate Mian Dawood, argued that his client had cooperated with the investigation despite having serious reservations about the jurisdiction of the NCCIA’s Multan office.

On August 12, the LHC Multan bench suspended the proceedings against Shafqat. Justice Khalid Ishaq issued a written order after hearing arguments from both sides.

During the hearing, representatives of the federal government and the NCCIA submitted their written response. They argued that the inquiry was still at an early stage and that the agency had not yet determined whether the matter fell within the territorial jurisdiction of its Multan office.

The inquiry officer also sought more time to obtain a legal opinion on the issue.

Justice Khalid Ishaq observed that when the agency itself was uncertain about its territorial jurisdiction, it should not proceed with the inquiry. The court ordered the proceedings to remain suspended and fixed September 28 for further arguments.

However, the hearing was later adjourned until October 12, with the court maintaining its order suspending action against the journalist, according to a September 29 report.

The suspension does not mean that the court has declared Shafqat innocent or finally dismissed the complaint. It means that the proceedings cannot continue while the legal questions are being considered.

There have also been claims that the complainant has withdrawn the complaint. However, publicly available court reporting and records reviewed for this story do not confirm an official withdrawal.

Shafqat’s case is not an isolated incident. Several journalists in Pakistan have faced complaints, notices, summons and investigations under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

According to a Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) report covering January to October 2026, at least 31 journalists faced criminal complaints during the period. Fourteen of these complaints involved provisions of PECA. The foundation also documented 28 cases of legal action, including NCCIA notices and summons.

The report further recorded nine arrests of journalists and media professionals during the same period.

Separately, a Freedom Network report covering October 2025 to August 2026 documented 97 violations against journalists and media workers across Pakistan. Punjab accounted for 49 incidents, making it the province with the highest number of documented violations.

The report recorded 13 legal actions and 32 threats of legal action nationwide. These figures include different forms of pressure and should not be confused with the number of NCCIA cases alone.

A Senate subcommittee was also informed in May 2026 that 41 cases had been registered against journalists, media personnel and social media activists under the cybercrime framework. The briefing also highlighted 13 FIRs against journalists, of which 11 were cancelled after initial investigations.

These figures show the growing use of legal proceedings in disputes involving journalists and their online content. However, a separate, complete official figure for NCCIA cases against journalists specifically in Punjab during 2026 was not available in the published data reviewed for this story.

While the legal proceedings against Shafqat raise questions about the jurisdiction of the investigating agency, they also bring attention to another important aspect of journalism: the responsibility to verify information before publishing it.

Jabbar Chaudhry, a researcher and reporter associated with KNW TV, believes journalists must exercise particular care when making allegations against individuals or institutions.

He said journalists have a major responsibility because society listens to them and people often form their opinions based on what they report.

According to Chaudhry, a journalist may receive information from a source, but that alone is not enough to publish an allegation against another person.

He said that if a journalist is unable to provide evidence when challenged before a legal forum, the journalist may find it difficult to defend the story. This becomes particularly serious when the original source refuses to appear or testify.

Chaudhry said journalists must keep supporting evidence for their reports rather than relying entirely on information provided by sources.

He also referred to cases under PECA in which journalists had to apologise rather than successfully contest the allegations against them in court.

He recalled a case involving a report concerning the chief secretary in Lahore and said journalists should be careful about publishing sensational stories without sufficient evidence.

According to him, a story may appear extremely important and attract considerable public attention, but journalists must ensure that they have documents, evidence or other reliable material to support their claims.

He said journalists must understand the law and their responsibilities because they could face serious difficulties if legal proceedings were initiated against them.