KARACHI: Popular YouTuber Rajab Butt was allegedly assaulted inside the Karachi sessions court on Monday during the hearing of a case registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, sparking concerns over security and conduct within court premises.
Rajab Butt appeared before the sessions court (Central) after the expiry of his interim bail, which had been granted on December 20. However, the court proceedings were disrupted when chaos erupted and Butt was physically attacked, leaving him injured and shaken.
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Butt’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, confirmed the incident through a statement shared on social media platform X, alleging that his client was assaulted by a group of lawyers at the Karachi City Courts during the hearing. Ashfaq said the attack took place in his presence and continued despite repeated requests to stop.
He strongly condemned the incident, calling such behaviour unprofessional and damaging to the legal community. Ashfaq stated that taking the law into one’s own hands undermines the credibility and dignity of lawyers and weakens the justice system as a whole. He warned that repeated incidents of violence on court premises could lead to a serious decline in public respect for the legal profession.
Videos circulating on social media after the incident showed Rajab Butt moving through a dense crowd with his shirt torn in several places, indicating the intensity of the scuffle. Another video showed him surrounded by a group of lawyers chanting slogans in support of the Karachi Bar. Among those present was Riaz Solangi, the complainant in the case filed against Butt.
In the footage, Solangi was heard accusing Butt of previously using inappropriate language against lawyers in a video. Another individual, also appearing to be a lawyer, was heard justifying the incident by saying the action was a response to Butt’s alleged misbehaviour, adding that anyone who spoke against lawyers would face similar consequences.
TikToker Nadeem Mubarak, widely known as Nani Wala, was also present at the court during the incident. Both Mubarak and Butt have been facing multiple legal cases and had returned to Pakistan together on December 10 from London after the Islamabad High Court granted them 10-day protective bail on petitions filed by their relatives.
Despite the incident, the sessions court extended Rajab Butt’s interim bail until January 13, allowing him temporary relief while the case proceeds.
The case against Butt was registered earlier this year at the Hyderi Market police station under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings. The complaint was filed by Riaz Solangi, who alleged that a viral video showed Butt performing prayers while music played in the background.
The FIR was registered following a court order under Section 22-A after the police initially declined to lodge the case. After the video went viral, Butt released several follow-up videos on his official Facebook page, where he appeared alongside religious scholars from various schools of thought. In these videos, he issued a public apology, stating that he never intended to hurt anyone’s religious feelings and deeply regretted any unintentional harm caused.
The incident has reignited debate about courtroom safety, responsible online content creation, and the need for lawful conduct by all parties involved in legal proceedings.
