Farhan Mallick, a journalist, has been sentenced to prison in Karachi for suspected ‘anti-state’ material.

On Tuesday, a Karachi court sentenced journalist Farhan Mallick to 14 days in jail on a judicial detention for allegedly airing “anti-state” information on his outlet’s YouTube channel.

Mallick, the founder of media firm Raftar and a former news director of Samaa TV, was detained on March 20 in Karachi and charged under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and the Pakistan Penal Code. The next day, he was taken into detention by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for four days.

Mallick appeared before Judicial Magistrate-I (East) Khalique Zaman’s court today. Zeeshan Awan, an investigation officer, attended throughout the hearing.

The FIA requested to extend the Raftar founder’s physical remand until April 3. However, the court refused the plea and placed him under judicial remand for 14 days.
Separately, the court heard Mallick’s bail petition and sent notifications to the respondents, including the prosecutor and the investigation officer, for the next hearing on March 27.

According to a first information report (FIR) dated March 20, the FIA received a tip concerning Raftar TV’s YouTube account, which was “involved in running a campaign for the posting of anti-state videos targeting the dignitaries mentioned in violation”.

Mallick was charged under sections 16 (unauthorised use of identity information), 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, as well as sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The FIA asked to prolong the Raftar founder’s physical remand until April 3. However, the court rejected his appeal and ordered him on judicial remand for 14 days.
Separately, the court heard Mallick’s bail petition and notified the respondents, including the prosecutor and the investigation officer, of the upcoming hearing on March 27.

Separately, the court heard Mallick’s bail petition and sent notifications to the respondents, including the prosecutor and the investigation officer, for the next hearing on March 27.

According to a first information report (FIR) dated March 20, the FIA received a tip concerning Raftar TV’s YouTube account, which was “involved in running a campaign for the posting of anti-state videos targeting the dignitaries mentioned in violation”.

Mallick was charged under sections 16 (unauthorised use of identity information), 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, as well as sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Notably, Section 26A is one of the clauses recently introduced to the Peca rules, which defines fake news as any material about which a person “knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic, disorder, or unrest”.

Anyone found guilty of sharing such material might face a three-year prison sentence, a Rs2 million fine, or both.

The criminalisation of internet deception has instilled dread in Pakistan, with journalists concerned about the law’s potential broad scope.

Raftar said earlier today that Mallick will be appearing before a “link judge” because the former judge would be unavailable.

“We’ve been at the court since 8:30 a.m., as the FIA was ordered to present Mr Farhan after their investigative remand period expired,” a post on Raftar’s official X account said.

“In the morning, we were told that the judge would not be coming today. Farhan will now need to appear before a link judge. The link judge is waiting for the normal court to submit documents. “The regular court is waiting for the FIA to bring Farhan,” it said.

The site, noting that it was nearly 11 a.m., stated that “this kind of delay is frustrating and raises concerns about the process”.