Sanam Javed of the PTI is granted bail by the LHC in the case involving anti-state content.
In a case involving the purported uploading of anti-state content on social media, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday.
The hearing was presided over by Justice Farooq Haider, who granted the bail request and ordered her release in exchange for Rs. 500,000 in surety bonds.
Earlier this month, Ms. Javed was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on suspicion of spreading content that was considered detrimental to the interests of the state. The case was filed by the FIA Lahore in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
The PTI employee was represented by advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq, who contended in court that the petitioner had not posted or said anything that might be construed as anti-state. He insisted that the accusations were politically motivated and without merit.
The attorney argued that his client was being singled out because of her political connections and asked the court to grant her bail based on the absence of incriminating evidence.
However, the FIA contested the bail, arguing that Sanam Javed’s uploaded material qualified as anti-state propaganda and needed more examination.
The court granted the petition after hearing arguments from both parties and ordered that Ms. Javed be released from custody upon the surety bonds being submitted.
An ongoing crackdown on party workers in the wake of last year’s May 9 riots has presented Sanam Javed, a vocal supporter of the PTI, with a number of legal challenges in recent months.
