According to sources, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) handed him over to jail officials on Thursday after completing preliminary legal formalities.

Case Registration and Allegations

A formal case was registered against Mirza at the NCCIA Rawalpindi office. The charges include blasphemy as well as violations of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Investigations are still ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of adding further charges.

Earlier, Mirza had been arrested by Jhelum police under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Following the registration of an FIR, he was moved to jail custody before being transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for cybercrime inquiries.

The FIR filed at Jhelum City Police Station alleges that a video posted on Mirza’s official YouTube channel contained blasphemous remarks concerning the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and presented a misinterpretation of Surah al-Nisa.

Legal Provisions Involved

The case invokes Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which carries the death penalty for defiling the name of the Prophet (PBUH). It also includes Section 11 of PECA 2016, which criminalizes the creation or distribution of material promoting sectarian or interfaith hatred, carrying up to seven years’ imprisonment along with fines.

Background and Past Cases

Mirza is a well-known online figure with more than three million subscribers on YouTube and is also the founder of the Qur’an-o-Sunnat Research Academy in Jhelum. Local authorities have sealed the academy, though no official explanation has been given.

Also Read: Ten shocking reasons Pakistan is ‘thanking’ Modi on his 75th birthday

This is not the first time Mirza has faced such allegations. In 2020, he was accused of making objectionable remarks about other clerics, while in 2023, he was charged with blasphemy over comments regarding the Prophet (PBUH) and the Ahmadi community. Both cases were later dismissed.