Actor Momina Iqbal took to Instagram to hit out at legal processes after a Lahore sessions court on Thursday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar and his wife until July 13.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqi heard the case while Chadhar appeared in court with his lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq. His wife Samaira stayed away, citing health reasons. The judge extended bail for both, directing them to join the investigation, and told the prosecution to submit a progress report at the next hearing on July 13.
Momina responded within hours. In a story posted on Instagram, she wrote, “Muje lagta tha inki sirf bhawana mai he chalti jahan FIR’s b ho jati, applications ho jati, humai wahan bulwane k liye ( thought his influence only worked in Bhawana, where FIRs get registered, applications get processed, just to call us there).”
She added, “Or jb hammary log wahan jaty unhe proper humiliate kiya jata hai. Total 3 to ho chuki (And when our people go there, they get properly humiliated. This has already happened three times).”
Momina went on to claim, “Bhawana mai rehty ap, bahira mai haen, complaint ap bhwana krty haen, samjhdar k liye ishara kafi hota hai (You stay in Bhawana, we’re the ones out here, and you’re the one filing complaints. A hint is enough for the wise).”
She further alleged, “Jb hamary log jaty un k pechy gariyan b lagti, log baty karty (When our people go, they’re followed by cars, and people talk).”
In the same story, she wrote “VIDEO. POWER OF MPA, member of the parliament hone ka pura faida uthaya jata hai (Power of MPA. Full advantage is taken of being a member of parliament).”
She ended her post by questioning the pace of the investigation, writing, “Abi tak investigation mai join nae kiya jaa raha or dates par dates li jaa rahe haen (They still haven’t joined the investigation and keep taking date after date), before asking, “Pochna yeh tha bs normal logon k cases foran hal hoty?? Matlb foran foran haal ho jaty? (I just wanted to ask, do normal people’s cases get resolved this fast too? I mean, immediately, just like that?).”
Momina’s post did not name Chadhar or his wife directly, but it came soon after the bail extension and appeared to reference the case.
The case dates back to May, when Momina first went public with allegations that she had faced “online harassment, cyberbullying, and death threats for a long time” from a PML-N MPA, without naming him at the time.
Her appeal went viral and drew the attention of PML-N’s top leadership, including Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz.
After the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) got involved, Momina filed an application with Lahore’s Chung Police, formally naming Chadhar. She alleged that he made threatening calls to her and her fiance, turned abusive after she rejected his marriage proposal, and later found out he was already married to two women. She also alleged that he sent threatening messages to her sister.
Maryam Nawaz had earlier warned on X that any attempt to use political pressure or influence, or to threaten releasing “personal content” in the case, would be met with “firm and uncompromising action.”
On June 4, the NCCIA registered a case against Chadhar under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and the Pakistan Penal Code, covering unauthorised access to data, cyber stalking, criminal intimidation and abetment.
He secured pre-arrest interim bail the following day, which has since been extended multiple times, most recently to July 13.
