LAHORE — Prominent television host-turned-politician Iqrar ul Hassan was allegedly taken into custody from his residence in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in the early hours of Sunday, October 12, 2026, in what his family has described as a late-night raid by officials linked to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). His whereabouts remain unknown, and the agency has not confirmed the detention.
According to accounts shared by his family, the incident occurred at around 2:40 to 3:00 AM at his home in DHA Phase 8, Lahore. His wife, Farah Iqrar, said the family was asleep when loud shouts erupted outside the house, with individuals demanding that Iqrar ul Hassan come out and threatening to break down everything if he did not. She alleged that the intruders scaled the boundary wall to enter the house, pushed and shoved her, restrained her husband, and took him away without disclosing where he was being taken.
Farah Iqrar further claimed that the raiding party seized mobile phones, a laptop, and even removed the house’s CCTV cameras and recording equipment before leaving. She said that when she attempted to record the incident on her own phone, it was snatched from her as well. In an emotional video statement that has since circulated widely on social media, she expressed fear for her husband’s safety and appealed for his immediate release, saying that speaking up had become a crime in the country.
The family’s account paints a troubling picture of the raid. Iqrar ul Hassan’s first wife, Qurat-ul-Ain, alleged that between five and seven men and two women forced their way into the house at around 2:00 AM and took her husband away in two vehicles. She claimed that DHA security personnel were present at the time but failed to intervene effectively. According to her, the family dialled the police emergency helpline 15, but police arrived approximately an hour and a half later. She further alleged that when the family visited the local police station to lodge a formal report, officials refused to register it, citing a lack of Wi-Fi connectivity.
So far, no official confirmation has emerged. The NCCIA has not formally acknowledged the detention, and officials from the agency have declined to comment. Notably, one report circulating on Sunday suggested the NCCIA had denied conducting any such raid — a claim that, if accurate, raises even more questions about who exactly carried out the operation and under what authority. The family says they contacted the local NCCIA station but received no information.
Television host Waseem Badami, a longtime colleague of Iqrar ul Hassan, confirmed in a video message that he too had no information about his whereabouts, underscoring how little is publicly known about the situation. Journalist Imran Riaz Khan also reacted to the news on social media, describing the incident as part of a wider pattern in which, in his words, the sanctity of homes had been violated.
What has not been established is the legal basis for the detention. Speculation on social media has linked the raid to his online activity and his political statements, with unconfirmed reports suggesting a possible case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). None of this has been verified by any official source. The precise reasons for his reported arrest, the details of any case registered against him, and the identity of the agency that conducted the operation all remain subject to official confirmation.
The incident comes at a politically charged moment in Iqrar ul Hassan’s career. After 21 years at ARY News, where he became one of Pakistan’s most recognisable television faces as the host of the investigative program Sar-e-Aam, he resigned from the channel on April 15, 2026, to pursue politics full-time. Earlier in January 2026, he had founded the Pakistan Awaam Raaj Tehreek (PART), a political movement aimed at increasing public participation in governance and strengthening democratic accountability.
In recent weeks, Iqrar ul Hassan has been vocal on political matters. He reportedly made pointed remarks about the Karachi operation, including his much-discussed “Kuch To Kiya Hoga” comment, and had recently questioned the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s policies. Whether any of this is connected to Sunday’s raid is purely speculative at this stage.
Born Syed Iqrar ul Hassan on May 29, 1984, in Lahore, he joined ARY News in 2005 after being selected from thousands of applicants in open auditions. He worked first as a newscaster — including a four-year stint at the channel’s Dubai headquarters — before launching Sar-e-Aam in 2012, an investigative show built around undercover sting operations exposing corruption, food adulteration, and fraud. The program made him a household name but also drew controversy and legal battles, including a 2016 arrest after a sting at the Sindh Assembly and a 2024 attack on his car in Gujranwala.
His personal life has often been in the public eye. He is married to three women: Qurat-ul-Ain (married 2005), Farah Yousuf (married 2012), and Aroosa Khan (married 2023). All three have now spoken out about the detention, with emotional videos of the family circulating online and drawing widespread public sympathy — as well as some scepticism, with a few social media users questioning the account.
The alleged detention has reignited debate about press freedom, the treatment of journalists-turned-politicians, and the powers of cybercrime authorities in Pakistan. Until the NCCIA or another state institution issues an official statement, the family, colleagues, and the public are left with more questions than answers: who took Iqrar ul Hassan, on what charges, and where is he now?
Feature Pakistan will continue to follow this developing story and update this article as official information becomes available.
