Journalist Farhan Mallick sent to jail on judicial remand

A Karachi court on Tuesday remanded journalist Farhan Mallick in judicial custody in a case pertaining to allegedly posting anti-state content on his YouTube channel.

Mallick, who is former news director of a private TV channel, was arrested last week after he appeared at the Federal Investigation Agency's Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in connection with an inquiry initiated against him.

Investigating officer Muhammad Zeeshan Awan presented Mallick before Judicial Magistrate (East) Khaliq ul Zaman on completion of his four-day physical remand and sought an extension in his remand until April 3.

The IO informed the court that the FIA carried out a search of the journalist's office in the presence of witnesses and took into possession some electronic gadgets. He said the seized devices are to be sent for a forensic analysis, and that the journalist had refused to disclose their passwords to unlock them.

He said the investigation had not also been completed yet as Mallick was required to be interrogated on the point of modus operandi, pleading with the magistrate to remand him in the FIA custody on physical remand until April 3.

On the other hand, Mallick’s lawyer Abdul Moiz Jafferi opposed the FIA's plea and requested the court to discharge him under Section 63 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The magistrate asked journalist if he had been maltreated in the FIA custody in any way, to which the latter replied that his staff was being harassed. The court warned the IO, saying he would be issued a show-cause notice if anyone was harassed.

After hearing arguments, the magistrate turned down the FIA's plea for extension of Mallick's remand and sent him to prison on 14-day judicial remand. The court also issued a notice to the FIA on a bail application filed by Mallick through his lawyer and set March 27 as the date for the next hearing.

A number of senior journalists came to the court to show solidarity with Mallick. An FIR has been lodged against Mallick under sections 16 (tampering, etc of communication equipment), 20 (malicious code), 26-A (false and fake information) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 read with sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state through Irfan Ali Mahar, technical assistant at the FIA Cyber Crime Centre Karachi.

According to the content of the FIR, the FIA received a report about Mallick's YouTube channel, which was allegedly involved in running a campaign by posting "anti-state videos targeting the dignitaries mentioned in violation”.

"During the course of enquiry, initial technical analysis of alleged YouTube Channel was received which revealed that the alleged person is involved in generating and disseminating posts and videos related to Anti-State consist of fake news and public incitement agenda," it said.

The FIR added: “He has continuously [been] disseminating and uploading posts and videos related to Anti-State consist of fake news and public incitement agenda, thereby causing harm to the reputation of public institutes on an international level which acts on his part constitute the commission of offence".