Why Shahbaz Rana’s reporting on FBR officials landed him in court

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 3 months ago |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD — Prominent journalist Shahbaz Rana has revealed in an interview with MJTV that he is facing two simultaneous cases—one civil defamation suit and one criminal case—linked to his reporting on alleged corruption in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The controversy stems from a government inquiry initiated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in 2024, which sought input from intelligence agencies, including the ISI and the Intelligence Bureau, as well as FBR’s internal intelligence. Following the inquiry, a government notification issued on April 26, 2024, placed 25 senior FBR officers (Grade 21 and 22) into the administration pool as Officers on Special Duty (OSD).

The prime minister publicly took credit for the action, claiming he had removed “black sheep” from the FBR. Rana reported on this development in print and on his television program, as stated in the official notification, without naming individual officers, only referring to their designations.

However, one of the affected FBR officials, a woman officer, later filed both civil and criminal petitions, accusing Rana of defamation and alleging he “hatched a conspiracy with the prime minister” to tarnish reputations.

The criminal case has not only named Rana but also includes the prime minister, the finance secretary, the establishment secretary, the interior secretary, and the inspector general of Islamabad Police. Despite this, Rana is the only one indicted so far.

On May 27, 2025, non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him. The next day, police attempted to arrest him from the Express Tribune offices where he works, but he was absent due to a public holiday. Rana appeared voluntarily on May 29 and was formally indicted the same day.

“I think the petitioner never actually read the story, and neither did the person who admitted the case,” Rana told MJTV. He further pointed out that his publisher, editor, and TV co-host were not made parties in the case, calling it a serious flaw in the proceedings.

Rana insists his reporting was based strictly on the government’s official notification, which remains available on the FBR website and in court records. Both the civil and criminal cases are now progressing simultaneously, raising alarm in journalist circles about the implications for press freedom in Pakistan.