KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: While a judicial magistrate on Friday dismissed the post-arrest bail plea of journalist Farhan Mallick in a case related to alleged anti-state content on his YouTube channel, another granted bail to journalist Waheed Murad following his judicial remand in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

The “bail [application of Farhan Mallick] is dismissed,” Judicial Magistrate (East) Yusra Ashfaq pronounced in a verdict reserved a day earlier. Court reporters, Mr Mallick’s family members and counsel gathered in the courtroom to hear the order.

Defence counsel Abdul Moiz Jaferii told the media that the court had dismissed their application, but the grounds for the decision would be known after receiving a written order on Saturday morning.

Advocate Jaferii said they were hopeful that the outcome would be in the journalist’s favour as their arguments presented during Thursday’s hearing were strong. “Let’s see what the [written] order says and what the reasons are,” the lawyer said. “We will look at the order and then go for an appeal.”

Islamabad-based reporter Waheed Murad granted bail in separate case registered under Peca

Earlier in the day, FIA Cybercrime Reporting Centre Additional Director Shahzad Haider appeared in the judge’s chamber after being summoned for failing to comply with the court’s order regarding the jail custody of Farhan Mallick.

According to court staff, the additional director was instructed to conduct a departmental inquiry into the matter and submit a compliance report within 15 days.

A day earlier, during the arguments, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the FIA when the defence counsel submitted that Mr Mallick was not sent to prison despite a court order. Instead, he continued, Mr Mallick was booked in a second case and produced before a Malir court on Wednesday, where his physical custody was obtained again for five days.

When the investigating officer failed to provide any name, the magistrate issued a show-cause notice to the IO and called for a report from the additional director of the FIA Cybercrime Cell, directing him to appear in person before the court.

Earlier, Advocate Jaferii, while filing the bail plea, had informed the court that Farhan Mallick ran YouTube channel Raftar publicly and was its openly disclosed CEO. However, he added, the FIA presented its report in a manner that suggested the channel was being operated in secrecy.

He emphasised in his submission that nowhere had the FIA specified what crime his client had committed. He also said that if any video had hurt the dignity of an institution, it was not specified which institution had been affected.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the complainant mentioned in the FIR was cited as a ‘source’, whose identity had not been disclosed, nor had it been revealed which institution they represented.

State prosecutor Aijaz Kalwar submitted that they had found seven links in which Pakistan’s name was allegedly mocked, and inappropriate language was also used against the armed forces and other institutions. Additionally, he stated that the comments in those videos contained objectionable content.

He strongly opposed the bail plea and argued that as a journalist, Mr Mallick should have demonstrated responsibility.

Waheed Murad gets bail

The court of Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah granted bail to journalist Waheed Murad after his judicial remand in a case registered under Peca.

He was arrested by the FIA and initially placed on a two-day physical remand. Upon completion of the remand, FIA officials presented him before the court on Friday, where the court ordered his judicial remand, sending him to jail.

During the hearing, Mr Murad’s legal team, including Advocate Imaan Mazari and Advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, filed a bail application. The court inquired from FIA officials about the evidence recovered against the journalist. Advocate Mazari argued that Mr Murad had merely quoted the words of politician Akhtar Mengal in his social media post.

The FIA officials contended that the post in question contained statements referring to the alleged “Baloch genocide”.

However, after hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted Waheed Murad’s bail against bonds initially set at Rs50,000. Upon a request from the defence lawyers, the court reduced the bond amount to Rs20,000.

Meanwhile, in a separate proceeding before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, Advocate Mazari sought the withdrawal of a petition challenging Mr Murad’s judicial remand. She argued that since the journalist had already been granted bail, the petition had become ineffective.

The court accepted the request and disposed of the petition.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2025