A local court in Lahore has assigned a two-day physical custody of Falak Javed to National Cyber Crime Agency for retrieving the password and excerpt data from her mobile phone in a case relating to uploading obscene material and anti-state content on social media.
According to Express News, the defendants were produced for the Lahore Magistrate in two separate cases of National Cyber Crime Agency (NCCA), where Judge Naeem Wattoo President of the case.
During the consultation, the NCCA representative informed the court that investigators had not been able to access the data stored in the accused’s mobile phone. The Agency claimed that Javed provided incorrect answers during interrogation and did not give access to her phone when requested.
When the judge asked if the accused’s social media account had been suspended, the NCCA official replied that it had not been, adding that due to repeated failed attempts, access could only be recovered after 48 hours.
The Agency requested an extension of physical custody to retrieve the password and extract data from the device. However, the judge expressed concern about repeated custody and observed that Javed was “a woman, not a terrorist” and that she was a citizen of Pakistan who was entitled to constitutional rights.
The court questioned the need for further detention and said, “If NCCA continues to seek custody after custody, what is the purpose of the law? Pakistan is a state that guarantees rights to its citizens. If courts continue to act solely on the institutions’ requests, what happens to constitutional rights of freedom of speech and proper process?”
Read more: Falak Javed Arrested in Sedition, False Video Case
Javed approached the court and said she had not been called in for interrogation once during the custody period. “Where is the complainant who accused me of uploading a video? Has she presented some proof? I am treated as a witness and accused at the same time,” she said.
She also asked the gender distribution in the case and noted, “It is often said that Azma Bokhari is a woman – am I not a woman too? If there is evidence that I uploaded the content, why am I repeatedly called in to question?”
Her lawyer, lawyer Maroof, claimed that NCCA had sought withholding repeatedly on the same reasons without progress. “If nothing has been found in 14 days, what a difference will do two days more? This is not a terrorism case – it is a simple study that is unnecessary,” he said.
He added that no unit or evidence had been recovered from his client and that NCCA had not delivered copies of the case record. The defense attorney also questioned the absence of female officers during the investigation, stating that there was no registration of any official visit to or from the prison involving a female officer.
During the consultation, Javed also complained that her belongings had not been returned despite court decisions. NCCA official replied that her goods were in lockup and the key was not immediately available.
The defense accused NCCA of ignoring judicial directives and argued that the case was pursued by assumptions rather than evidence. “The complainant, the investigator and the witness appear to be the same person – this investigation is partial,” the lawyer claimed.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict and later announced its decision and approved another two-day physical custody.
