Quetta Press Club Condemns FIR Against Senior Journalist Farhan Malik Under Controversial PECA Act

Quetta:The **Quetta Press Club (Registered)** has strongly condemned the FIR lodged against senior journalist **Farhan Malik**, associated with the news agency *Rafaqat*, in Hub, Balochistan under the controversial **PECA Act**. The Press Club demanded that the **Balochistan government immediately withdraw the FIR**.

In a statement issued by the Press Club, President **Irfan Saeed**, General Secretary **Ayub Tareen**, and other members of the executive committee criticized the FIR as a **serious violation of journalistic rules and regulations** and an **attack on freedom of expression**.

The statement highlighted that on **19 September**, Rafaqat had aired a **special documentary in Karachi** covering the land-grabbing crisis, including the perspectives of affected individuals, builders, journalists, and other stakeholders. The FIR against Farhan Malik was lodged at Hub police station **at the behest of a local MPA**, which the Press Club described as **a retaliatory action and misuse of power**.

The Press Club emphasized that such **retaliatory actions against journalists** not only attempt to **suppress the press** but also **violate Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan**, which guarantees freedom of expression. They called on the concerned authorities to take **strict notice** of this blatant infringement.

Furthermore, the statement noted that while the documentary included efforts to present the perspectives of key stakeholders in accordance with journalistic ethics, some parties **refused to provide their response**, and the PECA Act is being misused to **distort facts and block public access to the truth**.

The journalists of Balochistan collectively condemned this action as an **attack on press freedom and transparency**.