Who is Saqib Chadhar? Saqib Chadhar (also written as Saqib Khan Chadhar) is a sitting Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) from Punjab, affiliated with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He represents a constituency in the Punjab Assembly and is now at the centre of a high-profile cybercrime case.

What is PECA? The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 — amended in 2025 — is Pakistan's primary law governing digital offences including cyber harassment, cyberstalking, data interference, online defamation, and criminal intimidation carried out through electronic means. Violations can carry significant prison terms and fines.

What is NCCIA? The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is Pakistan's federal body responsible for investigating cyber-related offences. It operates under the Ministry of Interior and has jurisdiction over PECA cases nationwide.

Case Summary (June 2025): Actor Momina Iqbal filed a formal complaint with the NCCIA alleging that MPA Saqib Chadhar, his wife Sumaira Khan, and associates subjected her to years of cyber harassment, blackmail using private videos, death threats, and illegal surveillance after she declined his marriage proposal in 2022. A Lahore sessions court granted Chadhar interim pre-arrest bail on June 6, 2025, restraining his arrest until June 24, 2025.

NCCIA Registers FIR Under PECA Against PML-N Lawmaker

LAHORE — The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has formally registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Saqib Chadhar under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, as amended in 2025. The case, lodged on the complaint of acclaimed actor and model Momina Iqbal, centres on grave allegations of cyber harassment, blackmail, unlawful surveillance, and repeated death threats spanning several years.

The complaint was submitted by Iqbal to the NCCIA on May 22, 2025, and the FIR was formally registered the following day. The case names Chadhar, his wife Sumaira Khan (also reported as Samira Siddiq in some filings), and several known and unknown associates as accused parties — marking a significant moment as a sitting provincial legislator faces cybercrime charges under the country's updated digital laws.

"Chadhar, along with his wife and several associates, harassed and blackmailed the actor online while also issuing threats to her and her family members." — FIR filed with the NCCIA, as reported by Pakistan Observer

The Allegations: A Timeline of Alleged Harassment

2022 — Rejected Proposal and the Start of Alleged Threats

According to the FIR, the ordeal began in 2022 when Momina Iqbal rejected a marriage proposal from Saqib Chadhar after learning that the lawmaker was already married. Following her refusal, Iqbal alleged that Chadhar began a campaign of "continuous harassment, death threats, and psychological torture" using digital platforms.

Iqbal stated in her complaint that Chadhar sent threatening messages and made WhatsApp calls to both her and her sister, warning that he would leak her private videos and personal information if she did not agree to marry him. The FIR describes the alleged conduct as a prolonged pattern of digital coercion intended to force compliance through fear.

2023 — Alleged False Accusations Derail Actor's Marriage

The FIR further alleges that in 2023, Chadhar made deliberate false allegations against Iqbal that reportedly caused an earlier marriage proposal involving the actor to collapse — a claim that has added a layer of personal and reputational damage to the cyber harassment charges. This alleged interference in the actor's private life forms part of the broader pattern of conduct cited in the complaint.

2025 — Formal Complaint and NCCIA Investigation

As Iqbal prepared for her wedding — which took place earlier this week — she formally escalated the matter. She initially approached Lahore's Chung Police Station, meeting with SHO Faheem Imdad to report the harassment. After the local police response proved insufficient, she took her complaint directly to the NCCIA, accompanied by her lawyers. Her sister, who is herself a legal practitioner, provided investigators with a key video connected to the alleged blackmail threats.

PECA Charges: Legal Provisions Invoked

The FIR invokes several sections of PECA 2016 (as amended in 2025) as well as the Pakistan Penal Code. Below is a breakdown of the specific legal provisions under which Chadhar and the co-accused have been charged:

Digital Evidence and Forensic Investigation

Threatening Messages Traced to Chadhar's Number

Investigators have conducted preliminary technical and forensic examinations of mobile phones and electronic devices belonging to both Iqbal and Chadhar. According to the FIR, threatening messages were traced to a phone number directly associated with the MPA — providing investigators with a critical digital link between the accused and the alleged harassment campaign.

Blackmail Videos Recovered — Data Deletion Alleged

Blackmail videos that were allegedly sent to Iqbal were recovered from her mobile device. The FIR makes a serious additional allegation: that Chadhar deliberately deleted data and uninstalled applications from his own mobile phone before surrendering the device to NCCIA investigators — a move that authorities suggest was an attempt to destroy potential digital evidence. The video and both mobile phones have been taken into custody and sent for full forensic analysis.

Court Grants Interim Bail — Arrest Barred Until June 24

Following the registration of the FIR, Chadhar moved swiftly for legal protection. A sessions court in Lahore granted the PML-N MPA interim pre-arrest bail on Friday, June 6, 2025. Additional Sessions Judge Irfan Ahmed Sheikh approved the bail application after hearing arguments from both sides. The court simultaneously restrained the NCCIA from arresting Chadhar until June 24, 2025, and directed the agency to present the complete case record at the next scheduled hearing.

Next Hearing

The case is due back before the Lahore sessions court on June 24, 2025, at which point the NCCIA must present its full investigative record. Legal observers note that PECA cases frequently involve complex digital evidence chains — including messaging logs, device forensics, and online activity traces — all of which must be thoroughly verified before the trial phase commences.

Political and Public Significance

The case has attracted significant media and public attention, both because of Momina Iqbal's profile as a public figure and because the accused is a sitting elected representative. The registration of a formal PECA case against an MPA is relatively rare and carries serious legal implications — particularly given Pakistan's strengthened cybercrime laws under the 2025 amendments to PECA.

Civil society advocates and women's rights groups have pointed to the case as a reminder of the persistent challenges faced by women — including prominent public figures — in reporting digital harassment and blackmail by powerful individuals. The outcome of the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings is expected to be closely watched across the country.

📰 Sources

• Geo News —
• The Express Tribune —
• Pakistan Observer —
• ARY News —
• Dunya News —
• Daily Times —