Sohrab Barkat bail saga reveals PECA pressure on media

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 2 March 2026 |  JP Staff Report

The Islamabad High Court set aside a lower court order cancelling Sohrab Barkat's bail in FIR No. 330/2025, restoring him in the final case of four PECA FIRs filed by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and effectively concluding his more than 90-day detention.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The Islamabad High Court has set aside a lower court order canceling journalist Sohrab Barkat’s bail in FIR No. 330/2025, clearing the last remaining legal hurdle in a series of cases that had kept him in detention for more than three months.

The ruling means Barkat has now secured bail in all four cases registered against him, primarily under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), following a prolonged legal battle that drew attention from media rights groups and senior journalists.

Bail restored after lower court cancellation

Barkat’s lawyer, Saad Rasool, announced on X that the high court overturned Judge Majhoka’s earlier order revoking bail in FIR No. 330/2025. With the cancellation set aside, Barkat now stands on bail in each of the four FIRs registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

We are pleased to inform everyone that, after an ordeal that has lasted more than three months, @SohrabBarkatt has finally been granted bail in ALL of the cases registered against him.

Today, the hon’ble Islamabad High Court set aside Judge Majhoka’s order of cancelling Sohrab’s… https://t.co/QPROqOvhACpic.twitter.com/8dJ5AGj6aj

— Saad Rasool (@SaadRasooll) March 2, 2026

The Islamabad High Court’s decision follows months of litigation across multiple judicial forums, including the Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Publicly available court proceedings and lawyer statements confirm that earlier in February 2026, the Supreme Court granted bail to Barkat in FIR No. 179/2025 after the Lahore High Court had rejected his plea in that case.

The latest high court ruling effectively concludes the cycle of bail cancellations and fresh cases that had extended his detention to over 90 days since his arrest in late November 2025.

A pattern of successive cases and appeals

Barkat, associated with the news platform Siasat.pk and active on X, was first detained by the Federal Investigation Agency in November 2025 while attempting to travel abroad, despite having prior permission related to the Provisional National Identification List. In subsequent months, multiple FIRs were registered against him, alleging the dissemination of content described in official records as anti-state or intimidating toward state institutions.

In December 2025, a district court granted him post-arrest bail in one case related to online content. However, further FIRs and legal challenges followed. In February 2026, the Lahore High Court dismissed one of his bail applications, extending his custody. Around the same time, the Supreme Court granted bail in another case, marking what his legal team described as a significant precedent-setting moment under the amended PECA framework.

The legal contest intensified when one of Barkat’s previously granted bail was revoked by a lower court while his petition was pending before the Supreme Court. His counsel publicly argued that there was no evidence he had misused bail or interfered with investigations.

Media scrutiny and international concern

The case attracted scrutiny from media professionals and press freedom advocates. The Committee to Protect Journalists publicly called on authorities in February 2026 to release Barkat and allow him to operate without interference, describing the use of cybercrime provisions against journalists as a matter of concern.

Veteran television anchor Hamid Mir also spoke in defense of Barkat in columns and social media posts in late 2025, framing the issue as part of a broader debate on press freedom and professional solidarity within Pakistan’s media landscape.

With the Islamabad High Court’s latest ruling, Barkat’s legal status has shifted from detention to release on bail in all pending cases, though the underlying trials and appeals may continue in accordance with court schedules.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The sequence of arrests, bail grants, cancellations, and fresh FIRs highlights how digital speech cases under PECA can unfold across multiple jurisdictions, affecting newsroom stability and reporter safety. For Pakistani journalists, the case underscores the legal complexity of online reporting and commentary, particularly when cybercrime provisions are invoked. It also demonstrates how higher courts can reshape the trajectory of such cases, potentially influencing future legal strategies for media professionals.

ATTRIBUTION: Based on publicly available court proceedings, lawyer statements shared on record by Saad Rasool, and documented reporting by JournalismPakistan and international press freedom group statements issued in February and March 2026.

PHOTO: A screenshot from Sohrab Barkat's YouTube channel