The Federal Research Agency (FIA) on Thursday arrested the journalist Farhan Malick for the content of the videos of its YouTube platform.
Malick is the founder of the Media Agency Raftar which describes itself as a “dynamic platform dedicated to promoting social change through the power of stories narration.” He is also the former news director of TV Samaa.
Additional director of FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center Shahzad Haider said Dawn.com That an investigation against Malick about three months ago began.
Regarding the specific positions, the official responded by saying that Malick had executed “several programs against the security establishment.” Haider added that Mallick was formally arrested today after the end of an investigation.
Meanwhile, Malick’s wife told him Dawn.com That there was no written sheet, or any reason for your arrest.
“We have not received a first information report (FIR), nor have we been informed about the charges,” he said on the phone. “We know it is in the FIA cyber crime office in Gulistan-I-Johar.”
Malick’s wife said he went to FIA “to discuss something” on his own, but that no one was received for hours.
“We were thinking that it was just a meeting, there were no indications that I was under investigation,” he said. “After four or five hours, they told him that he was under arrest. I have no idea why this is happening,” he said.
“The content we produce is everything in the public domain, we do not use any secret information.”
A publication in his son’s Malick account said FIA’s officials “broke into his office last night and did not give any reason for his visit.
“His team was harassed, they did not give any reason for his visit and demanded that he appear in his office today at 1 PM for an audience,” said the publication.
Malick’s son added that his father went to FIA at 1 PM, only to be arrested around 6 pm with “without explanation. Without justification. Nothing.”
“I don’t know what crime he is accused of my father, because there is no one. He is a journalist who believes in the truth, in holding power, giving people a voice,” he wrote.
“Is that now a crime? Is something free journalism to be punished?”
Raftar He issued a statement about X by saying that the FIA had visited the departure office without prior notice on Wednesday and verbally summoned Malick to appear in his office at 1 PM today.
“In compliance, Malick appeared in the office designated at the required time. However, after making it wait for hours without cause, the authorities arrested him at 6 pm,” said the post, claiming that Raftar The team was harassed by FIA officials.
“Raftar It means the truth, the responsibility and the right to inform freely without fear, “the exit added.” The lack of transparency in this situation raises serious questions about the freedom of the press and the orientation of independent voices. “
Raftar He demanded immediate clarity about the arrest of Malick and requested the protection of media professionals and journalists of “unfair harassment.”
The presenter of Geo News, Shahzad Iqbal, praised Malick as a credible journalist and a thorough professional who “always maintained the low profile” and focused on the news and stories “without any hidden reason.” “Another shameful act of victimizing and suppressing freedom of expression,” Iqbal added in an X publication.
Today is not the first time that Mallick meets the FIA. In December, he wrote a publication about X about how he was prevented from boarding a flight to Doha and was arrested at Karachi airport for more than five hours.
“At first, my passport was taken. Shortly after, my phone was also confiscated,” he wrote. “Despite asking repeatedly, no explanation for my detention or confiscations was provided.”
Malick added that after his flight left, he had to write to the Director General of Immigration and Passports to take his name from the provisional national identification list, although he had not indicated that he was in it.
He also wrote that he was denied access to his phone to contact the legal advisor.
“This detention was totally arbitrary and violated my rights,” Malick wrote. “I have already been the subject of two FIA consultations last month (November 2024), which claimed to be investigations on the content of my YouTube platform [Raftar]”
“I looked for protection against the superior court of Sindh, which was kind enough to prevent the authorities from taking some coercive action against me or harassing me,” he added.
