Pakistan forms joint investigation committee to identify creators of 'malicious social media campaigns'

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has formed a joint investigation committee to identify those involved in creating disorder in the country through “malicious social media campaigns,” it emerged on Saturday.

No party or person has been named against whom the possible investigation would be directed. However, analysts say, the step may be targeted at jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, the joint investigation committee (JIT) was set up under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) and is led by Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi.

Its four other members include the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cybercrime director, its Counter Terrorism Wing director, Islamabad deputy inspector general (DIG) of police (investigation) and the Counter-Terrorism Department’s senior superintendent of police.

The JIT can “co-opt” any other member if needed, the notification said.

The notification read that the JIT shall “investigate and determine the organised objectives of the accused and their accomplices who have created chaos and disorder in Pakistan through malicious social media campaigns.”

It would “identify and prosecute the culprits in accordance with the applicable laws” with the Islamabad police headquarters providing secretarial support to the JIT.

The notification has not pointed out any party or group which would be probed but it is often that the PTI and its cadre are accused of carrying out propaganda against the country and its leading institutions like the army, using social media.

The move follows the arrest of PTI information secretary Raoof Hasan on Monday, who with 11 other PTI supporters, was booked by the FIA’s cybercrime wing under Sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber terrorism) and 11 (electronic forgery) of PECA.