A sessions court in Karachi has cancelled the interim pre-arrest bail of vlogger Rajab Butt in a case involving the alleged desecration of religious sentiments during a hearing on Friday when the YouTuber failed to appear before the court.
The proceedings at the sessions court were set to confirm or withdraw the interim bail previously granted to Butt. During the hearing, a legal counsel representing the YouTuber submitted an application for condonation of absence.
The complainant in the case opposed the request for exemption. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge dismissed the application for condonation and recalled the court’s earlier order dated December 19, 2025, which had provided Butt with temporary legal protection.
“The applicant was required to ensure his presence before the court, but he has failed to do so without sufficient cause. Consequently, the instant bail before application is dismissed for non-prosecution,” the court stated.
The legal action stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered in January 2025 at the Hyderi Market police station.
Lawyer Riaz Ali Solangi initiated the complaint under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which addresses acts intended to outrage religious feelings. The allegations center on a video circulated online in which the YouTuber is accused of showing disrespect toward the act of prayer.
Following the initial reaction to the video on social platforms, Rajab Butt uploaded a series of videos to his Facebook page. These recordings showed him in the company of religious scholars representing various schools of thought.
In this three-part video series, Butt issued a public apology regarding the incident. He maintained that his actions were not intentional and stated that he regretted the situation if it had caused distress to any individual.
