The Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted transit bail to Noreen Niazi on Tuesday, providing her temporary protection from arrest in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Justice Shakeel Ahmad presided over the hearing. The court directed Niazi to appear before the relevant court within 15 days to address the charges leveled against her. This order effectively blocks law enforcement from taking her into custody while she prepares her legal defense in the jurisdiction where the case was originally filed.
Niazi’s legal team argued that the charges were politically motivated and aimed at silencing dissent. They maintained that their client intended to cooperate with the judicial process but required the transit bail to travel and seek proper legal redress without the immediate threat of detention.
The PECA case—a recurring tool in recent high-profile legal battles—has drawn scrutiny from rights groups who argue the law is frequently weaponized to target activists and critics. The government, conversely, maintains that such cases are essential to curb misinformation and protect institutional integrity.
This ruling follows a string of similar transit bail applications filed by individuals facing legal challenges in various provinces. Courts have increasingly relied on these temporary measures to ensure that defendants can access the legal system without being intercepted by police forces operating across provincial lines.
Niazi’s case remains part of a broader, ongoing legal tug-of-war involving digital oversight and freedom of expression. With the court granting her two weeks to present herself to the trial court, the focus now shifts to whether investigators can substantiate the allegations or if the case will face the same procedural hurdles that have stalled similar PECA-related litigation in recent months.
For now, the PHC order provides a temporary reprieve. Whether it holds up once she faces the trial court will depend on the strength of the evidence presented by the prosecution.
