The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a contempt of court petition filed by YouTuber and social media influencer Rajab Butt after the federal government confirmed that his name had been removed from the Passport Control List (PCL).
The petition was heard by IHC Judge Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas and concerned the government’s failure to comply with a previous court order directing the removal of Butt’s name from the exit ban list.
During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Mian M Faisal Irfan presented an official notification dated September 16, 2026, confirming that Rajab Butt’s name had been formally deleted from the PCL. Subsequently, Butt’s legal counsel, Ayesha Khalid, informed the court that since the petition’s objective had been fulfilled, her client no longer wished to pursue the contempt case. The court then disposed of the plea accordingly.
Rajab Butt, a leading digital content creator in Pakistan, has been involved in multiple legal controversies over the past two years. These cases have included allegations related to cybercrime, wildlife violations, and blasphemy.
In September 2025, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) lodged an FIR against Butt and other influencers under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The FIR accused Butt of endorsing illegal gambling platforms such as Binomo and 1xBet on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, which allegedly caused significant financial losses to followers. His name was added to the PCL after he failed to respond to multiple summons by investigators. Upon his return to Pakistan from the UK in late 2025, he challenged the ban in court, leading to the IHC ordering the removal of his name from the list.
In March 2025, Butt launched a perfume brand titled “295,” referencing Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertains to blasphemy laws. The campaign sparked immediate backlash from religious groups, culminating in an FIR filed by a representative of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan. Butt faced charges under blasphemy laws and PECA provisions. He later removed the promotional content and issued a public apology while holding a Holy Quran, announcing the permanent cancellation of the product.
Earlier, in January 2025, Karachi police registered a case against Butt under Section 295-A of the PPC following a complaint about inappropriate remarks he made regarding Islamic prayers in a viral vlog. Despite issuing an explanation with the help of local religious scholars, a Karachi sessions court temporarily revoked his pre-arrest bail in April 2026 due to his repeated absence from court proceedings.
In December 2023, a joint operation by the Punjab Wildlife Department and Chuhng Police at Butt’s Lahore residence uncovered an undocumented African lion cub and unlicensed firearms. Butt claimed the cub was a wedding gift. In January 2025, he was sentenced by a Lahore judicial magistrate to one year of community service under probation after pleading guilty. The court also required him to produce awareness vlogs on animal rights, and the lion cub was handed over permanently to the Lahore Safari Zoo.
In a significant development, the United Kingdom deported Rajab Butt on December 9, 2025, following the cancellation of his UK visa. Butt had announced a temporary hiatus from vlogging amid ongoing legal challenges and controversies.
Additionally, on December 15, 2025, a Lahore district and sessions court granted interim bail to Rajab Butt and TikToker Nadeem Mubarak, also known as Nani Wala, in a case related to the promotion of gambling applications. The bail pleas were heard by Additional Sessions Judge Mansoor Ali Qureshi, with Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq representing both social media personalities.
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