Tag: Freedom of Expression

ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Speakers on Monday criticised the government for slapping curbs on media and advocated for allowing the independent media organisations to work in an objective and unhindered manner for providing information to the public.

Speaking at a seminar on “Restrictions on media and citizens’ right to information”, organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here, they lamented all successive governments for twisting the arms of the media for ulterior motives.

They accused the government of blackmailing media owners for signing a one-sided code of conduct/undertaking and lamented the closure of two private TV news channels.

Senior journalists, Nusrat Javed and Matiullah Jan, Mukhtar Ahmad Ali of the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives- Pakistan (CPDI), and Naeem Mirza of the Aurat Foundation, were among the speakers.

Mr Javed, applauding the struggle of mediapersons, hoped that it would continue till the fundamental rights were restored and media was free. “We will not bow to the coercive measures of the government and will fight until the goal is achieved,” he said.

He said it was the post March 9 situation of the country and role of media that eventually brought together the civil-military bureaucracy to initiate a crackdown on some television channels and mediapersons by blocking TV channels and blackmailing their owners, to compromise on their already-limited freedom they had.

Citing the proactive role of the judiciary, especially the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, he said, it were the civil bureaucracy’s problems with the superior judiciary and Gen Musharraf’s obsession to remain in power that had forced them to take the unconstitutional measures of Nov 3.

Mukhtar Ahmad Ali urged the government to lift all bans on the media and re-open TV channels, adding that the freedom of information was a recognized right of citizens, under the Article of 9 of the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the UN.

He lamented that government departments had been practising a deep-rooted culture of secrecy, reminiscent of colonial times, rigorously applying rules, regulations and laws to restrict public access to information. Comparing the Freedom of Information Act of India and Pakistan, he said the situation in India was far better and there were several exemplary cases where citizens had successfully utilised the right to information and held the government accountable.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/20/2007

Farhan Mallick, the CEO of the digital media platform Raftar, was granted bail in both cases registered against him. He was subsequently released from Malir jail. The Federal Investigations Agency (FIA) arrested Mallick on March 20 in Karachi. 

The first criminal complaint (First Information Report) against Mallick, dated March 20, was registered by the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center Karachi under Sections 16, 20, and 26-A of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Amendment Act 2025.

As per the FIR, an inquiry was registered, and a report was received regarding Raftar’s YouTube channel. The FIR alleged that the channel was “involved in running [a] campaign for posting anti-state videos targeting the dignitaries mentioned in violation on YouTube channel.” Mallick was stated as the “handler” of the channel. 

The FIR stated that during the inquiry, initial technical analysis of the YouTube channel had shown that Mallick was involved in “generating and disseminating posts and videos related to anti-state consist of fake news and public incitement agenda.” It stated that this was causing harm to the reputation of “public institutes on an international level which acts on his part constitute the commission of offence.” Based on this, a case had been registered against Mallick, and its investigation had been taken up.

Mallick was initially remanded in FIA custody in the case and later shifted to jail on 14-day judicial remand.

According to Dawn, Mallick’s legal counsel had filed a bail application before Judicial Magistrate (East) Yusra Ashfaq which had been dismissed and was then challenged before the sessions court which the District and Sessions Judge (East) Dr Chaudhry Wasim Iqbal approved.

A second FIR, dated March 25, registered at the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center in Karachi on the complaint of an individual named Asad Ali stated that some individuals were involved in the theft of confidential financial data of credit cards of foreign nationals through spoofed calls and impersonation. As per the FIR, the alleged persons had disclosed that they were acting on the patronage of Farhan Mallick. 

On March 26, Mallick was remanded in FIA custody for five days in this case. 

Following the granting of bail in the first case, Mallick’s counsel approached the Judicial Magistrate (Malir) for bail in the second case. 

On March 27, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the Secretary of Defence to submit a report on the recovery of two brothers of journalist Ahmad Noorani, who have been missing since March 19.

A single-member bench of IHC comprising Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas issued the direction during a hearing on a petition filed by Noorani’s mother, Amina Bashir. In her petition, Bashir sought the recovery of her two sons, Muhammad Saifur Rehman Haider and Muhammad Ali, who went missing from their residence in the early hours of March 19.

During the proceedings, Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi, informed the court that he had supervised a special investigation team, but they could not yet find Noorani’s brothers. Despite efforts that included geo-fencing and retrieving call detail records (CDRs), they had not yet found any leads.

Rizvi added that a team was formed under the leadership of the SSP operations and the brothers were not with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and in the 27 police stations that fall under his jurisdiction.

“We have sought details from IGs and IG prisons all over the country as well. We have written to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also. However, we [have so far] found no lead even after getting the nearby districts and hospitals checked by the chief commissioner. Even no persons bearing their names have left the country. We got check from hotline 15 as well but they also did not receive any call regarding them,” he added.

The court asked if there was a solution for this and Rizvi asked for more time for the search.

Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, representing the petitioner, raised concerns of the involvement of intelligence agencies under the Ministry of Interior, Business Recorder reported. She criticized the police handling of the case and asked if safe houses had been checked.

The judge said that it would further look into it when the reply came on the notice sent to the ministry regarding this.

Justice Minhas emphasized that the Ministry of Defence’s response was now critical to the case. He instructed the Defence Secretary to provide a reply by the next hearing.

Bashir addressed the court and became emotional, asking, “If something happens to my sons, who will be responsible?” She urged the court to consider her situation as a mother. The court acknowledged the gravity of the situation and adjourned the next hearing until after Eid-ul-Fitr while awaiting a response from the Defence Secretary.

On March 28, an Islamabad district and sessions court granted post-arrest bail to journalist Waheed Murad, who was on a two-day physical remand under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016. The court approved the bail against surety bonds worth Rs20,000. The case was heard by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah.

Murad had been taken into custody on charges of allegedly posting “intimidating content” online. A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by Murad’s mother-in-law, Abida Nawaz.

A criminal complaint (First Information Report) against Murad was filed at the Federal Investigations Agency Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Islamabad under Sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber-terrorism), 20 (malicious code), and 26A (punishment for false and fake information) of PECA, 2016. The FIR stated that Murad was found sharing “highly intimidating content/post on social media/Facebook and X Corp.”

On March 28, the court asked FIA what evidence had been collected. Represented by lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, Murad’s legal team argued that his post was the words of Akhtar Mengal. “The first tweet was a statement by Akhtar Mengal,” said Chattha during the hearing. The FIA’s investigation officer stated that the post in question stated that “Baloch genocide is being committed.”

The court initially granted post-arrest bail against Rs50,000 surety but later reduced it to Rs20,000 upon the request of Murad’s counsel. Murad was released after the bonds were submitted. The court disposed of the application after an application challenging his remand in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Afzal  Majuka was withdrawn.