Momina Iqbal case: Lahore court extends interim bail of PML-N MPA Chadhar, wife up to July 13

A sessions court in Lahore on Thursday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Saqib Chadhar and his wife Samaira until July 13 in a case involving allegations of harassment and death threats against actress Momina Iqbal. The case was registered on June 4 by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over a complaint filed by Momina. According to the first information report (FIR), Chadhar and his wife were accused of engaging in a sustained campaign of cyber harassment, stalking, intimidation and blackmail against the actor. The hearing was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui, who granted the extension and provided Samaira another opportunity to join the investigation. During the hearing, the investigating officer (IO) submitted a progress report to the court, stating that the MPA’s wife had not yet joined the investigation despite repeated directions by the court. Read: Actor Momina Iqbal appeals to CM Maryam for justice after receiving 'death threats' The IO informed the judge that the mobile phones of the suspects had been sent for forensic examination, and additional time was required for a detailed probe. The court is expected to resume proceedings on July 13 to review the status of the investigation as well as compliance with the court's directions. On June 5, the sessions court in Lahore granted interim pre-arrest bail to Chadhar and restrained authorities from arresting him until June 24. The cyber harassment case Momina, on May 20, took to social media, claiming that she had been facing online harassment, cyberbullying, and death threats for a long time. She alleged that she and her family had endured severe mental stress and trauma due to the individual involved. In a message shared on her Instagram story, Momina, without naming anyone, alleged that an MPA associated with the PML-N had been issuing threats to her for an extended period. She added that she had repeatedly reported the matter to the NCCIA and the Federal Investigation Agency, but no action was taken. The actor appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying she believed the chief minister "will take unbiased and lawful action against anyone found involved in abuse of power or obstruction of justice". Three days later, the actor filed a formal complaint with the Lahore police, accusing Chadhar and his alleged accomplices of cyber harassment, criminal intimidation, blackmail, defamatory campaigns and interference in her marriage. According to a copy of the complaint submitted to police on May 22, the actor alleged that Chadhar had subjected her to “continuous harassment, death threats, and psychological torture” after she rejected his marriage proposal and ended ties with him in 2022. The application, filed at the Chung Police Station, stated that the suspect allegedly used threatening calls, WhatsApp messages, fake social media activity, and AI-generated images to intimidate the actor and damage her reputation ahead of her upcoming marriage. The complaint further alleged that the suspect repeatedly threatened to kill her if she refused to marry him. One of the alleged messages cited in the application stated: “Don’t force me … even your dead body will not be found.” The actor also alleged that during a meeting at Pearl Continental Hotel Lahore in December 2024, the suspect again threatened her, warning that she would be killed if she married someone else. According to the complaint, the situation escalated earlier this month after the actor’s engagement was finalised. The application claimed that explicit and AI-edited photographs were sent to her WhatsApp number from unknown contacts in an attempt to blackmail her and sabotage the marriage. Read more: Momina sends Rs190m legal notice to religious scholar over 'derogatory remarks' The complaint stated that similar material was also sent to her sister, while threatening calls were allegedly made to members of her fiancé’s family. Momina further alleged that her fiancé, currently residing in Karachi, also received repeated calls and threatening messages from unidentified numbers and social media accounts linked to the accused. The application accused the lawmaker of using political influence and connections within the ruling party to pressure the actor and obstruct action on previous complaints. She requested the police to register a criminal case against the lawmaker, his wife and other alleged facilitators, provide security to her family, and initiate immediate legal proceedings. Responding to Iqbal's previous call for help, CM Maryam said the matter involving a PML-N MPA and a prominent media personality was “a personal issue” and would be addressed strictly on merit and in accordance with the law. The chief minister further warned against any attempt to exert pressure or misuse influence through threats of releasing personal content, saying any such action would be met with firm and uncompromising action.

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