The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other parties in response to a petition seeking the annulment of an FIR against journalist Farhan Mallick.

During the proceedings, Mallick’s counsel Advocate Abdul Moeez argued that the cases against his client were baseless and driven by malice.

He contended that while the initial legal action appeared to be undertaken by the FIA, subsequent developments indicated that the investigating officer was also personally involved.

The petitioner sought to include the investigating officer, the FIA director-general, and the federation as respondents in the case, a request the court allowed by permitting amendments to the petition’s title. Consequently, notices were issued to the FIA.

The court adjourned the hearing, directing all respondents to submit their replies by April 23.

Background of the case

According to the FIR, registered on March 20, the FIA had received a report regarding Raftar TV’s YouTube channel, alleging that it was “involved in running a campaign for the posting of anti-state videos targeting dignitaries in violation of the law.”

Mallick has been booked under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, including Section 16 (unauthorised use of identity information), Section 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), and the recently added Section 26-A, which criminalises the dissemination of “fake news.”

Additionally, he faces charges under Sections 500 (defamation) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Section 26-A of Peca defines “fake news” as any information that 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.”

Convictions under this provision carry a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to Rs2 million, or both.