Senior Journalist Bilal Ghouri Reported Missing, Later Arrested in Cybercrime Case

Ghouri's family said he was on the ground floor of his home in Sector E-11, Islamabad, where he was working on his weekly column and recording a vlog. When he failed to return upstairs late at night, his family became concerned.

According to his wife, she went downstairs to check on him but found that he was no longer at home. She subsequently raised concerns that Ghouri had been kidnapped. The family contacted the police emergency helpline 15 and later submitted a written missing-person complaint at Shalimar Police Station.

Ghouri's brother-in-law, Abdul Wasi, said the family had informed police about his disappearance after becoming aware that he was missing.

Sub-Inspector Nauman Shafiq of Shalimar Police Station confirmed that police had received the missing-person complaint and that initial inquiries were underway. At the time, no formal case had been registered regarding his disappearance.

However, it later emerged that Ghouri had been arrested in connection with a case registered against him by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

According to FIR No. 143/2026 registered at the NCCIA's Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, a case has been filed against Muhammad Bilal Ghouri under Sections 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.

The FIR states that Ghouri uploaded and circulated content through his social media accounts on September 5 concerning the appointment of the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).

According to the FIR, a post was published on X at 1:22am, while a YouTube video lasting 16 minutes and six seconds was also uploaded.

The complaint alleges that the content contained claims regarding the process of appointing NACTA's National Coordinator and the circumstances surrounding the appointment, which the authorities described as allegedly false and misleading.

The NCCIA stated that the material available to investigators contained evidence of an offence punishable under Sections 20 and 26-A of PECA. The case was subsequently registered with the approval of the competent authority.

Ghouri's disappearance had prompted concern among journalists and social media users, with questions being raised about his whereabouts and safety. The subsequent emergence of information about his arrest clarified that he was in the custody of authorities in connection with the cybercrime case.

Ghouri has previously faced legal and administrative issues linked to his journalism and social media activity. In February this year, he was reportedly stopped and detained by immigration authorities at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport while preparing to travel to Dhaka to cover Bangladesh's general elections. Reports at the time said his name was on the Exit Control List (ECL), although he was later released.

In June 2021, the Federal Investigation Agency's Cyber Crime Reporting Centre also summoned Ghouri in connection with an alleged defamation case involving his YouTube content. The Islamabad High Court later suspended the notices issued against him.

The latest development has shifted the case from a reported disappearance to a legal matter involving his arrest under the country's cybercrime law. Further proceedings will determine the next legal steps in the case.