YouTuber Rajab Butt assaulted at Karachi sessions court during hearing
YouTuber Rajab Butt was physically assaulted at a sessions court in Karachi on Monday during a hearing in a case filed against him over allegations of hurting religious sentiments.
Butt appeared before the sessions court (Central) following the expiry of his interim bail, which had been granted on December 20. The proceedings were disrupted when violence broke out inside the court premises and Butt was attacked.
His lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, said his client was assaulted by a group of lawyers during the hearing. In a statement shared on social media, Ashfaq said the attack took place in his presence and left Butt injured, despite repeated calls for the attackers to stop.
He described the incident as unprofessional conduct and warned that taking the law into one’s own hands undermines the credibility of the legal profession. Ashfaq said such behaviour has no place in an educated society and damages public trust in the justice system.
Videos circulating after the incident showed Butt moving through a crowded court corridor with his shirt torn, surrounded by people. Another video showed him walking alongside a group of lawyers chanting slogans, including “Karachi Bar Zindabad”. Among those present was Riaz Solangi, the complainant in the case against Butt.
In the footage, Solangi is heard saying Butt had previously made a video using inappropriate language about lawyers. Another individual, appearing to be a lawyer, said the assault was a response to Butt’s alleged remarks and warned that anyone speaking against lawyers would face similar consequences.
Tiktoker Nadeem Mubarak, also known as Nani Wala, was also seen at the court during the incident. Both Mubarak and Butt have been facing legal proceedings in multiple cases.
The two returned to Pakistan on December 10 after receiving 10-day protective bail from the Islamabad High Court, granted in response to petitions filed by their relatives following their stay in London.
Butt’s interim bail in the case heard on Monday has now been extended until January 13.
The case stems from a complaint lodged earlier this year at the Hyderi Market police station under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relates to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
According to the complaint, the case was registered after a video circulated online in December 2024 allegedly showed Butt performing prayer while music played in the background. The registration of the case followed court directions issued under Section 22-A after an application by the complainant.
After the video went viral, Butt released a series of videos on his social media accounts in which he appeared alongside religious scholars from different schools of thought. In those videos, he issued an apology, saying he deeply regretted any unintentional actions that may have hurt religious sentiments.
