Journalist Farhan Malick 'arrested' by FIA under Peca law

• Malick's YouTube channel claims FIA visited office without warning.
• Alleges members of journalist's team were harassed by FIA officials.
• Malick's team in an X post demands immediate clarity on his arrest.

Journalist Farhan Malick has been taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), according to sources privy to the matters.

They also added that the mobile phones belonging to Malick, a former news director of a private TV channel, were also confiscated.

A message on X, uploaded on the handle of the YouTube channel run by Farhan Malick, claimed: "Yesterday evening, FIA officials visited the channel office without prior notice. They harassed our team, provided no explanation for their visit, and verbally summoned Mr Malick to their office for a hearing today at 1 PM."

The post further alleged: "In compliance, Mr Malick appeared at the designated office at the required time. However, after making him wait for hours without cause, the authorities arrested him at 6pm."

Condemning the arrest, the X post added: "We are deeply concerned by this blatant intimidation of independent journalism. The channel stands for truth, accountability, and the right to report freely without fear. The lack of transparency in this situation raises serious questions about press freedom and the targeting of independent voices."

The statement concluded with a demand for action: "We demand immediate clarity on Mr Malick’s arrest and call for the protection of journalists and media professionals from unjust harassment."

A more powerful Peca 

Pakistan introduced and passed the amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act in January 2025. 

Under the new regulations, a social media regulatory authority will be set up that will have its very own investigation agency and tribunals. 

Such tribunals will be able to try and punish offenders with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of two million rupees ($7,200) for dissemination of "false or fake" information.

Journalist bodies across the country since have been protesting the law, saying the government had not consulted any of their representatives before introducing the law, and dubbed it an attempt to gag freedom of speech and intimidate newspersons and their media outlets.

Malick's is not the first arrest under the amended Peca law. The Rawalpindi Police on Wednesday registered the first case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist on the charges of spreading misinformation and negative propaganda.

The case was filed following a social media post that was allegedly based on misinformation. According to a police spokesman, the suspect, identified as Muhammad Rehan, was arrested for posting inappropriate content online.