The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Circle arrested senior journalist Farhan Mallick in Karachi during an operation over a case filed under charges of “anti-state propaganda.”
According to FIA officials, an inquiry against Mallick had been ongoing for some time before it was escalated into a formal case.
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Mallick was apprehended today when he arrived at the Cyber Crime Circle office to record his statement regarding the allegations.
Sources from the Cyber Crime unit revealed that the case includes charges of anti-state propaganda along with provisions from the PECA Act.
As part of the investigation, Mallick had reportedly been offloaded multiple times at Karachi Airport while attempting to travel by air.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called for Mallick’s immediate release and a transparent investigation into the matter.
“The government must prevent agencies like FIA from overstepping their authority and ensure the protection of freedom of expression, as guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution,” the commission stated.
