district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday granted bail to Hassan Zahid after social media influencer Samiya Hijab announced she no longer wished to pursue the harassment cases against him.

At the start of the hearing, Hijab told the court that she and Zahid had reached an out-of-court settlement. She stated that she did not intend to continue legal proceedings and had no objection to either his bail or his possible acquittal. Following her statement, the court approved Zahid’s bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000 in each case.

Earlier this month, Hijab, an Islamabad-based influencer with nearly 850,000 followers on Instagram, accused Zahid of persistent harassment. She alleged that Zahid, with whom she had previously been in a relationship, had been threatening her and pressuring her to marry him.

In a video shared on Instagram, Hijab claimed Zahid appeared outside her residence, 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 said in the video statement.

Her allegations drew significant attention on social media, where users expressed concern over her safety and demanded swift legal action. Police subsequently registered cases against Zahid and launched an investigation.

However, reports began circulating over the weekend that both parties were working toward a private settlement. Speculation intensified when Hijab failed to appear at the September 13 hearing. On Monday, she confirmed before the court that she had reached an understanding with Zahid and did not wish to press charges.

The court’s decision to grant bail comes in light of her statement. Zahid was directed to furnish surety bonds worth Rs20,000 for each case filed against him.

Legal experts note that the withdrawal of testimony by complainants often weakens harassment cases in Pakistan, where social and family pressures frequently influence outcomes. With Hijab’s latest statement, the cases against Zahid are unlikely to proceed further unless new evidence emerges.

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