JournalismPakistan.com | Published last month | JP Staff Report
Join our WhatsApp channel
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.
November 05, 2025: Digital platform Nukta lays off 37 employees in Pakistan, including journalists and producers, highlighting the financial struggles facing new media ventures in a shrinking job market.
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
November 05, 2025 The Pulitzer Center is offering global reporting grants for journalists worldwide, funding high-impact projects on underreported issues with rolling applications in 2025.
November 04, 2025 Journalist Rana Ayyub receives death threats over calls demanding a column on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as CPJ urges swift action to protect journalists in India.
November 04, 2025 TV8 journalist Mariana Rata in Moldova receives a death threat after interviewing politician Renato Usatii on-air, raising concerns about journalist safety.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.