LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Thursday issued fresh notices to television actor Momina Iqbal and PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar after new evidence emerged in the case pertaining to the alleged harassment of the former by the latter.

Ms Iqbal had publicly accused Chadhar of online harassment, cyber bullying and threats earlier this year and the NCCIA registered a case against Chadhar under provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

In a notice to Mr Chadhar, the NCCIA said that in the course of reinvestigation, his presence was required to analyse the evidence provided by him to the previous investigating officer in order to unearth the facts of the case. Chadhar has been summoned for Sept 11 at the NCCIA office in Lahore. The agency summoned Momina Iqbal for Sept 14. The agency has also constituted a special investigation team to conduct a fresh inquiry into the matter.

NCCIA Punjab Deputy Director Waqas Saeed told Dawn that a special team, headed by a deputy director, would examine the newly obtained digital evidence, along with previously available records in this case.

“The team has been given one month to complete its investigation and submit its report to the NCCIA director general,” he said, adding that further legal action would be decided in light of the findings of the investigation.

Mr Saeed further said that it would be premature to declare either of the individuals “guilty” or “innocent” before the completion of the inquiry.

Meanwhile, a Lahore court also disposed of PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar’s and his wife’s pre-arrest interim bail petitions as withdrawn, after the investigating officer said the arrest of the suspects was not required at the present stage.

At the last hearing on July 28, the then investigating officer (IO), SHO Najam Bajwa of the NCCIA had informed the sessions court that Mr Chadhar had been found guilty during the investigation.

However, the new IO, Hassan Sajjad Naqvi, told the court today that the investigation had changed but the suspects’ arrest was not required at this stage. The IO had separately summoned Iqbal on Sept 1, according to the summons order seen by Dawn. The order said that the suspects had requested a reinvestigation of the case on the “basis of some new defence evidence […] Accordingly, your statement regarding the fresh evidence has to be recorded”.

Momina Iqbal was also present at the hearing where the IO informed the court of the development. Following this, Chadhar and his wife withdrew their bail petitions, and the court subsequently disposed of the pleas as withdrawn.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2026