The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday reinstated bail for YouTuber Rajab Butt, reversing a decision by a lower court that had previously cancelled his bail and increased the risk of his arrest. Butt appeared before the SHC with his lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq Ali, where the court granted him relief.
Earlier, a sessions court had withdrawn Butt’s bail after denying his request to be exempted from personal appearance, which exposed him to potential detention before he sought fresh legal protection. Details regarding the specific charges against Butt remain unclear, and prosecutors have not issued any statements on the matter.
In a significant development last December, Rajab Butt was attacked by a group of lawyers at Karachi’s City Court shortly after attending a hearing related to a blasphemy case. The assault occurred following a session before an additional district and sessions judge, who adjourned Butt’s bail application without issuing a formal ruling. The situation escalated on the court premises, culminating in a physical attack on the YouTuber.
Subsequently, police registered a case against several lawyers, including Riaz Ali Solangi and Abdul Fatah Chandio, along with numerous unidentified individuals. Charges filed include rioting, criminal intimidation, and assault. At the time of the incident, Butt was accompanied by fellow content creator Nadeem Mubarak, also known as Nani Wala.
