Pakistani Court Summons YouTuber Ducky Bhai for Indictment in Online Gambling Promotion Case

LAHORE: A Pakistani court has summoned prominent YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, popularly known as Ducky Bhai, for indictment in a case related to the alleged promotion of online gambling, court officials confirmed on Thursday.
During a hearing at the Lahore District Courts, the judge ordered Saad ur Rehman and other accused individuals to appear on January 16 for the formal framing of charges. The case pertains to the alleged promotion of online gambling platforms through digital content.
Saad ur Rehman appeared in court along with his wife, Aroob Jatoi, and other co-accused, where they were provided copies of the charge sheet.
During the proceedings, the court observed that recording and publishing vlogs without prior permission was unlawful, noting that a formal request should have been submitted to the court. In response, Saad ur Rehman stated that he had submitted an affidavit during a previous hearing, which he believed amounted to permission.
The court rejected this argument, stating that permission could only be granted by the court itself and not assumed by the accused. The judge further remarked that the prosecution was also dissatisfied with the vlogging activity.
Counsel for Saad ur Rehman told the court that the defense was unclear about what specific permission was required, arguing that no vlogs were currently being uploaded on the channel in question.
The court clarified that Saad ur Rehman’s YouTube channel is considered case property and has been seized by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The judge emphasized that while vlogging itself is not prohibited, uploading content from a seized channel is illegal.
The NCCIA has already submitted the challan (charge sheet) against the accused, accusing them of promoting online gambling through digital platforms.
The case highlights Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown on online gambling and the increasing scrutiny of digital influencers and content creators under cybercrime laws.