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PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar Secures Interim Bail in Actor Momina Iqbal Cyber Harassment Case
PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar has secured interim pre-arrest bail until June 24 in a severe cyber harassment and blackmail case filed by actor Momina Iqbal. The case, handled by the NCCIA, was registered after Iqbal's viral social media plea prompted Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to order immediate action, despite the actor's initial claims that individuals within the CM’s office tried to suppress the investigation.
ND
by News Desk
2026-06-05
PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar Secures Interim Bail in Actor Momina Iqbal Cyber Harassment Case

Detailed Report

  • The Pre-Arrest Interim Bail: A Lahore sessions court on Friday granted interim pre-arrest bail to Punjab Assembly Member (MPA) Saqib Khan Chadhar of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Additional District and Sessions Judge Irfan Ahmad Sheikh approved the protective bail after hearing arguments from Chadhar and his defense counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq. The court has legally barred the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from arresting the lawmaker until June 24, 2026, while directing investigators to submit the complete case record at the next formal hearing.

  • Severe Cyber Crime and Intimidation Charges: The court appearance comes just one day after the NCCIA formally registered a criminal case against Chadhar based on a detailed complaint filed by prominent television actor Momina Iqbal. The First Information Report (FIR) invokes severe legal codes, including Sections 3, 4, 21, and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), alongside Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 201 (destruction of evidence). The case was registered after preliminary technical and forensic audits of both the actor's and the lawmaker's mobile devices yielded corroborating digital evidence.

The Blackmail Allegations: According to the text of the FIR, Momina Iqbal alleged that Chadhar, his wife, and their associates unleashed a targeted campaign of cyber harassment, unlawful surveillance, and blackmail. The actor claimed that after she rejected Chadhar's marriage proposal upon discovering he was already married to two women, the lawmaker retaliated by attempting to hack her private data, sending violent media content, and threatening to leak private videos. Iqbal further stated that Chadhar's team systematically sabotaged her previous 2023 wedding proposal via disinformation and recently threatened her current fiancé to disrupt her upcoming marriage.

  • Social Media Breakthrough and High-Level Intervention: The high-profile case originally gained traction after Iqbal published a viral video appeal on social media, tagging senior PML-N leaders and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. In her post, Iqbal expressed intense trauma and criticized institutional inertia, claiming that her initial complaints to the NCCIA and FIA were suppressed, and that individuals linked to the CM’s Office had actively tried to silence her. To clear the administration's name, PML-N top brass subsequently ordered immediate legal action. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz issued a public statement on X, warning that any exploitation of women or political pressure to suppress personal-content blackmail would face "firm and uncompromising action."

  • Counter-Suits and Legal Complexity: The feud has evolved into a multi-layered legal battle. Prior to Chadhar's booking, the Lahore High Court on May 25, 2026, had already granted interim protective bail to Momina Iqbal’s husband, Hamza Habib, following an independent cross-complaint filed by Chadhar accusing Habib of issuing criminal threats against him.
Tagged:

#MominaIqbal #SaqibChadhar #NCCIAPakistan #CyberHarassment #PMLN #LahoreCourt #MaryamNawaz #BreakingNewsPakistan
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