A monthly report on trends relating to digital rights, policies, practices & media
Vol. 6, No. 9 – September 2026 Edition
Produced by Freedom Network – www.fnpk.org
SECTION 2: Digital rights advocacy and defense
Google-Pakistan deal raises data privacy concerns
Date: September 17, 2026 – Source: Dawn
Media watchdog Freedom Network called for greater transparency around the agreements and memoranda signed between Google and the Pakistan government. It sought information about safeguards against surveillance, censorship and unrestricted access to citizens’ personal information, including data that could reveal journalists’ confidential sources.
SECTION 3: Digital rights violations and protections
Journalist Bilal Ghauri remanded in PECA case
Date: September 7, 2026 – Source: Dawn
A judicial magistrate in Islamabad granted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency three-day physical remand of journalist Bilal Ghauri in a case registered under Sections 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The case concerned content he had posted about the appointment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority’s head.
Date: September 10, 2026 – Source: Dawn
An Islamabad court extended journalist Bilal Ghauri’s physical remand by two days in the PECA case registered by the NCCIA. The agency sought additional custody for further investigation, while Ghauri’s counsel argued that the agency already had access to his devices and social media accounts.
Date: September 17, 2026 – Source: Dawn
An Islamabad judicial magistrate granted post-arrest bail to journalist Bilal Ghauri in the PECA case. His defence argued that the allegations were not supported by sufficient evidence, while the prosecution opposed the bail application.
