Journalist Farhan Mallick arrested by FIA in Karachi – Pakistan

Journalist Farhan Mallick on Thursday was arrested in Karachi by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on unknown charges when he went to meet them at their office, according to his family.

The FIA confirmed the arrest to Dawn.com.

Mallick’s wife told Dawn.com that there is no written charge sheet, nor any reason for his arrest.

“We have not received a first information report (FIR), nor have we been informed about the charges,” she said over the phone. “We know that he’s at the FIA Cybercrime office in Gulistan-i-Johar.”

Mallick’s wife said that he went to the FIA “to discuss something” on his own, but was not received by anyone for hours.

“We were thinking it was just a meeting, there was no indication he was under investigation,” she maintained. “After four or five hours, he was told he was under arrest.

“I am clueless as to why this is happening,” she said. “The content we produce is all in the public domain, we do not use any secret information.”

FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Additional Director Shahzad Haider told Dawn.com that an inquiry was initiated against Mallick around three months ago.

Regarding specific charges, the official replied by saying that Mallick had run “several programmes against the security establishment”. Haider added that Mallick was formally arrested today after the completion of an inquiry.

Meanwhile, Mallick’s outlet Raftar issued a statement on X announcing that the FIA had visited their office without notice on Wednesday and verbally summoned Mallick to appear their office at 1pm this afternoon.

“In compliance, Mr Mallick appeared at the designated office at the required time. However, after making him wait for hours without cause, the authorities arrested him at 6pm,” the post read, adding that Raftar’s team was harassed by FIA officials.

“Raftar stands for truth, accountability, and the right to report freely without fear,” the outlet added. “The lack of transparency in this situation raises serious questions about press freedom and the targeting of independent voices.”

Raftar demanded immediate clarity on Mallick’s arrest and called for the protection of media professionals and journalists from “unjust harassment”.

More to follow