LAHORE, PAKISTAN: The political and legal storm surrounding social media activist Falak Javed deepened on Friday as a local court ordered her 14-day judicial remand, marking another chapter in the government’s ongoing crackdown on political dissent online.
Falak, associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was presented before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo following the completion of her physical remand. The magistrate reviewed investigation details submitted by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and subsequently ordered her transfer to jail custody for two weeks.
Authorities allege that Falak was involved in running “anti-state” campaigns and sharing defamatory content against state institutions and a provincial minister. Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court has also permitted the police to continue questioning her in jail in a separate case concerning riots and property damage near Zaman Park, linked to the May 9 protests.
Her sister, Sanam Javed, another prominent PTI figure, was recently arrested in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, underscoring what many rights groups describe as a widening net of political suppression under the pretext of law enforcement.
As the cases proceed, questions continue to rise over the limits of digital expression, the fairness of due process, and the increasing use of cybercrime laws to curb political activism.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.