RAWALPINDI: Prominent religious scholar and YouTuber Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza was moved to Adiala Jail on Thursday after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) completed the initial legal formalities in his blasphemy case. Authorities confirmed that Mirza, who was earlier detained under public order laws, was officially handed over to jail officials by the NCCIA.

A case has been filed against him at the agency’s Rawalpindi office under accusations of blasphemy and violations of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016. Investigations remain ongoing, and officials have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges.

The scholar was originally arrested by Jhelum police last month under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). He was later transferred to jail custody, and subsequently turned over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) following the lodging of a formal complaint.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Jhelum City Police Station, the case centers around a video allegedly posted on Mirza’s YouTube channel. The complainant claims that the video includes blasphemous content, offensive remarks about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and a controversial interpretation of a chapter of the Quran.

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The charges against Muhammad Ali Mirza include Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which carries the death penalty for defiling the name of the Prophet (PBUH), and Section 11 of PECA, which criminalises content that promotes sectarian or interfaith hatred. Section 295-C states that any individual who, directly or indirectly, dishonors the Prophet (PBUH) is liable to capital punishment and a fine. Section 11 of PECA stipulates up to seven years in prison and/or a monetary fine for distributing hate content.

Mirza, who has over three million subscribers on YouTube, also runs the Qur’an-o-Sunnat Research Academy in Jhelum, which authorities have now sealed. Officials have yet to provide an explanation for this action.