Noreen Niazi submits initial reply to NCCIA over controversial interview

• PTI founder Imran Khan's sister seeks four weeks to file detailed response to cybercrime notice

• Lawyer says client respects all state institutions and would never bring disrepute to Pakistan

• NCCIA probing remarks linking Operation Marka-e-Haq to Pakistan Army and Indian PM Modi

 ISLAMABAD: The lawyer representing Noreen Niazi, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, said on Monday that an initial written response had been submitted to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) after the agency issued her a notice over controversial remarks made during a recent interview.

The development comes after the NCCIA on Saturday summoned Noreen Niazi for an inquiry following an interview in which she alleged that Operation Marka-e-Haq was a collaboration between the Pakistan armed forces and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to reporters after appearing before the NCCIA, Noreen's counsel, Faisal Malik, said his client became aware of the notice through social media on Monday morning, after which her legal team promptly submitted a preliminary written reply before the agency.

Malik said the defence had requested a copy of any complaint, report or application registered against Noreen Niazi and also sought details of the legal provisions under which the notice had been issued.

He said the NCCIA had directed Noreen Niazi to appear before the agency in person on Tuesday. However, her legal team had requested four weeks to submit a comprehensive response to the notice.

Quoting his client, Malik said Noreen maintained that, "as a Pakistani, she respects all state institutions" and "could never do anything that would bring disrepute to Pakistan."

The lawyer added that Noreen Niazi would not be able to appear before the NCCIA on Tuesday.

According to the notice issued by the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on Saturday, Noreen Niazi had originally been directed to appear before the agency on Monday to record her statement in connection with the ongoing inquiry.

Issued under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the notice stated that the NCCIA was conducting proceedings in the matter and required her personal appearance at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad to record her statement.

The notice further warned that failure to comply would be taken to mean "that you have nothing to present or state in your defence" and would render her liable to legal action under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860.

The notice was issued after Noreen Niazi made remarks about Operation Marka-e-Haq and the Pakistan Army during an interview on a YouTube channel.

During the interview, she alleged that Operation Marka-e-Haq was carried out as a collaboration between the Pakistan armed forces and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She further claimed that India refrained from attacking Pakistan at Israel's request because, according to her, Pakistan was moving towards recognising Israel.

"Modi could have fixed them in two minutes if he had wanted to. Why did Modi stop? What was he afraid of? India is such a large country. Look at that country and then look at yourselves," she said during the interview.

Noreen also alleged that Israel was "behind" the developments and claimed that Pakistan was being prepared to join countries that had established diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

The NCCIA inquiry into the matter remains underway.