IHC directs NCCIA to provide Asad Toor with details of allegations

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to provide vlogger and journalist Asad Toor with details of the allegations against him in connection with a summons issued to him by the agency.

Justice Mohammad Azam Khan on Friday heard Toor’s petition. The NCCIA on Wednesday had issued notice to Toor for an inquiry into “alleged dissemination, transmission and/or public exhibition of false/fake information” by him. He was directed to appear before the NCCIA Cybercrime Reporting Centre in Islamabad at 11am on July 31.

Toor challenged the summons in the IHC on Thursday, arguing that the NCCIA had failed to fulfil the legal requirements while issuing the notice and did not provide details of the allegations levelled against him.

During the hearing, the court asked the petitioner’s counsel Attaullah Kundi, “Why don’t you appear before the NCCIA? Don’t you have a defence?” He replied that they were unaware of the exact allegations against his client and, therefore, did not know what they were expected to respond to.

The counsel submitted that all details and material relating to the allegations should be provided to the petitioner in advance.

Justice Azam Khan observed that the petition would be disposed of with directions to the NCCIA to provide the petitioner with all relevant details concerning the allegations.

Kundi said that providing such details was precisely what the petitioner had requested.

The IHC subsequently disposed of the petition, directing the NCCIA to provide Toor with details of the allegations against him.

Toor was also arrested in February 2024 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act for allegedly launching a malicious campaign against state institutions, a move that drew criticism from the media fraternity. He was later released in March.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026