A Karachi court on Friday remanded journalist Farhan Mallick into the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for four days over allegations of airing “anti-state” content on his media outlet’s YouTube channel. Mallick, the founder of Raftar Media, which describes itself as a platform dedicated to driving social change through storytelling, was arrested a day earlier in Karachi.
Raftar Media claimed that FIA officials visited their offices on Wednesday evening without prior notice, harassed their team, and summoned Mallick for questioning. He was subsequently arrested and presented before Judicial Magistrate-I (East) Yusra Ashfaq. The FIA sought a 14-day physical remand, but the court granted four days, until March 25, for further investigation.
Mallick has been charged under several sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, including Section 16 (tampering with communication equipment), Section 20 (malicious code), and Section 26-A (spreading false and fake information). He also faces charges under Sections 500 (defamation) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Section 26-A, a recently added provision to PECA, defines fake news as information that a person “knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause fear, panic, disorder, or unrest.” Violators can face up to three years in prison, a fine of up to Rs2 million, or both.
The criminalization of online disinformation has raised concerns among journalists and human rights advocates in Pakistan. Human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir criticized the amendments, stating, “They are being brought in specifically to quell dissent, to abduct, arrest, and detain journalists, and to silence journalism, dissent, and all criticism of the state.”
According to the First Information Report (FIR) dated March 20, the FIA received a complaint alleging that Raftar TV’s YouTube channel was running a campaign featuring “anti-state videos targeting dignitaries.” The FIR claimed that technical analysis revealed Mallick was involved in generating and disseminating content containing “anti-state fake news and public incitement,” which allegedly harmed the reputation of public institutions internationally.
In its remand request, the FIA stated that Mallick needed to be interrogated to uncover his accomplices and recover any devices containing incriminating material. The agency also emphasized that the investigation was ongoing and required further questioning to determine the modus operandi.
Raftar Media, however, denied the allegations, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “At this stage, no concrete evidence has been presented to substantiate the ‘anti-state’ allegations against Mr. Mallick or Raftar.” The organization reaffirmed its commitment to press freedom and due process, vowing to pursue all legal avenues to ensure justice.
Mallick’s arrest has drawn widespread condemnation from the media community and human rights activists. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan urged authorities to “check the overreach of agencies […] and uphold the right to freedom of expression.”
Pakistan ranks 152 out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. The country has faced criticism for restricting internet access, including temporary bans on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, while X remains officially blocked.
