Pakistani YouTuber, comedian and podcaster Shehzad Ghias Shaikh has claimed he may face arrest or detention next week in connection with a defamation case involving fashion designer Maria B, being pursued through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
In a video published on his YouTube channel, Ghias claimed that he had received a court summons for Monday, but that the official details of the case, including the charges, remained unclear.
“I have no idea what I’ve been summoned for. I’ve received no case details,” Ghias said in the video, adding that he feared a First Information Report (FIR) may have been filed by the FIA and subsequently forwarded to the court.
He said that Maria B initially issued a civil legal notice against him for defamation but later pursued criminal defamation charges through the FIA, a move he described as disproportionate and intended to silence dissent. “They didn’t go for a civil suit; they went straight to the FIA,” he said, adding that his criticism of Maria B’s actions was based on opinion and did not meet the threshold for defamation under Pakistani law.
Ghias also claimed that the complaint stemmed from his previous commentary and content, including episodes discussing Maria B and influencer-related issues, though he asserted he never initiated a smear campaign or intentionally defamed anyone.
“I never even named her in recent videos. There were far more damaging things I could have done and I didn’t.”
He further said the pressure campaign was part of a wider “elite culture of silencing critics” in Pakistan, adding: “The rich in this country think they can use any institution – the FIA, the courts – to crush dissent.”
In a tweet accompanying the video, Ghias wrote, “For months Maria B has been using the FIA to silence us. I have been summoned by the court on Monday now, where I might be arrested or detained Imagine – going to jail over a joke? Does freedom of speech even exist in Pakistan anymore?”
He urged his followers to raise awareness on social media if he is detained. “The more pressure there is online, the better my chances of not being jailed for long,” he said.
Some users on X have expressed support for Shehzad Ghias, meanwhile, others are backing Maria B.
Maria B could not be reached for comment.