The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday arrested journalist Farhan Mallick in Karachi over the content of his YouTube platform’s videos.

Mallick is the founder of media agency Raftar which describes itself as a “dynamic platform dedicated to driving social change through the power of storytelling”. He is also the former news director of Samaa TV.

FIA Cybercrime 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 wife told Dawn.com that there was 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.”

A post on Mallick’s X account by his daughter said that FIA officials “barged into” his office last night and gave no reason for their visit.

“They harassed him and his team, gave no reason for their visit, and demanded that he appear at their office today at 1pm for a hearing,” the post read.

Mallick’s daughter added that her father went to the FIA at 1pm, only to be arrested around 6pm with “no explanation. No justification. Nothing”.

“I don’t know what crime my father is being accused of — because there isn’t one. He is a journalist who believes in truth, in holding power accountable, in giving a voice to the people,” she wrote.

“Is that now a crime? Is free journalism something to be punished?”

Raftar issued a statement on X saying that the FIA had visited the outlet’s office without notice on Wednesday and verbally summoned Mallick to appear at its office at 1pm today.

“In compliance, 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, alleging 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”.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded Mallick’s immediate release and a transparent investigation into the matter.

“The government must check the overreach of agencies such as the FIA and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution,” it said.

Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jamil also strongly condemned the arrest, saying it was under the Peca laws. “His arrest reinforces our apprehension that this draconian law will be used to silence journalists and stifle journalism in the country. He should be released immediately,” he demanded.

Geo News anchor Shahzad Iqbal praised Mallick as a credible journalist and thorough professional who “always kept low profile” and just focused on the news and stories “without any ulterior motive”. “Another shameful act of victimising and suppressing free speech,” Iqbal added in a post on X.

Today is not the first time Mallick has encountered the FIA. In December, he wrote a post on X about how he was stopped from boarding a flight to Doha and was detained at Karachi Airport for over five hours.

“At first, my passport was taken away. Shortly thereafter, my phone was also confiscated,” he wrote. “Despite repeatedly inquiring, no explanation for my detention or the confiscations was provided.”

Mallick added that after his flight departed, he had to write to the director general of immigration and passports to have his name removed from the Provisional National Identification List, despite no indication that he was even on it.

He also wrote that he was denied access to his phone to contact legal counsel.

“This detention was wholly arbitrary and violated my rights,” Mallick wrote. “I have already been the subject of two inquiries from the FIA last month (November 2024), both of which claimed to be investigations into the content of my YouTube platform [Raftar]”.

“I sought protection from the Sindh High Court, which was gracious enough to restrain the authorities from taking any coercive action against me or from harassing me,” he added.