Missing Canadian PhD Student lands in Lahore Cybercrime Custody over anti-state posts
2026-02-23 - 17:04
LAHORE – Hamza Ahmad Khan, the Canadian PhD student, has been arrested by cybercrime officials over alleged anti-state posts on social media. What started as a mysterious disappearance turned out to be a dramatic cybercrime crackdown after Canadian doctoral researcher, Hamza Khan, resurfaced in the custody of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Just days after his sudden disappearance from DHA Phase 10 sent shockwaves through friends and family, authorities revealed that Hamza had been detained over explosive allegations of spreading anti-state content online. Khan was disappeared in the wee hours of February 19, after leaving his residence in DHA Phase 10. Alarmed by his unexplained absence, a friend filed a kidnapping complaint at the Defence-A police station, prompting police to register an FIR and launch a search. But in a stunning twist, it emerged on Monday that Hamza had been taken into custody by cybercrime authorities. He was produced before a magistrate the same day and remanded to jail for 14 days on judicial orders. Hamza Khan in NCCIA Custody Canadian PHD scholar @Hamzakk has been sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand after surfacing today in NCCIA custody, three days after his abduction. According to the FIR, his tweets ‘pose significant risk of severe reputational damage to the state of Pakistan.’ pic.twitter.com/3e6hQCQbF2 — Alifya Sohail (@AlifyaSohail) February 23, 2026 The researcher registered by NCCIA’s routine cyber surveillance allegedly flagged social media accounts linked to Hamza. The agency claims these accounts were actively circulating what it described as “misinformation and disinformation” aimed at state institutions. The posts, shared on X and Instagram, were said to be publicly accessible and deliberately crafted. Officials labeled the material “inflammatory,” alleging it was designed to incite unrest, spread hostility, and disrupt social stability. The case has been registered under Sections 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), 24 (cyberstalking), and 26A (spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. Investigators claim their inquiry confirmed that Hamza uploaded posts they describe as derogatory toward state officials and institutions, allegedly intending to damage reputations and malign constitutional and political leadership. FIR further asserted that such content threatens to undermine the integrity of the state and could trigger “dire consequences” both nationally and internationally. Authorities argue that the alleged online activity posed reputational risk to Pakistan, warning that the impact could extend far beyond its borders. NCCIA releases annual report on fight against digital crime in outgoing year 2025