Podcaster and journalist Rehan Tariq has been arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency after arriving at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport from London.
According to court proceedings reported by local media, Tariq was produced before a Lahore magistrate, who granted the NCCIA a six-day physical remand. The case has reportedly been registered under blasphemy and cybercrime provisions, including Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
Investigators told the court that complaints had been received from religious groups over allegedly controversial podcast content. The case is said to involve an episode featuring religious scholar Jawad Naqvi, recorded before Tariq travelled to the United Kingdom. Officials sought time to examine Tariq’s digital accounts, seize his mobile phone, and recover original podcast recordings and related data.
Tariq was stopped at the airport after returning from London and later taken into NCCIA custody. Reports also said his name had been placed on a no-fly list.
The arrest has drawn attention to the growing scrutiny faced by Pakistani podcasters, journalists and digital creators, particularly where online speech intersects with religion, politics and cybercrime laws. No final determination has been made by a court, and the allegations remain subject to investigation.