Court Grants Bail to Zahid
A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday granted bail to Hassan Zahid after social media influencer Samiya Hijab withdrew her complaints against him. The court approved bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000 in each case, following Hijab’s statement that she no longer wished to pursue the matter.
Out-of-Court Settlement
At the start of the hearing, Hijab told the court that she and Zahid had reached an out-of-court settlement. She added that she would have no objection if the suspect was granted bail or acquitted, effectively clearing the way for Zahid’s release.
Earlier Allegations
Earlier this month, Hijab, who has nearly 850,000 Instagram followers, accused Zahid of harassment and intimidation. She alleged that he had been pressuring her into marriage for months, and in one incident, appeared outside her home, snatched her mobile phone, and attempted to force her into his car.
“My mother was ill, my brother wasn’t home. When I stepped outside, he snatched my mobile, sat in his car, and forced me in as well,” she had claimed in a widely shared Instagram video.
Settlement Speculation
Speculation about a possible settlement surfaced last week when Hijab did not attend a scheduled hearing on September 13. Monday’s proceedings confirmed those reports, with the influencer formally withdrawing her complaints.
