ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Cybercrime wing has recommended legal action against Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan over a controversial tweet and for his alleged involvement in the anti-state campaign on social media.
The Office of the Deputy Director, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime, Islamabad Zone, has raised concerns over anti-state activities on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, by a user with the username “@ImrankhanPTI”.
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Director of the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, the FIA Cybercrime Unit highlighted the dissemination of anti-state narratives and misinformation against Pakistani government institutions, including the Pakistan Army, via the Twitter account belonging to Imran Khan.
“During internet browsing, it is observed that a Twitter account having the username “@ImrankhanPTI is found sharing anti-state activities and promoting anti-state narratives on social media/Twitter, in which the alleged profile is being used by Imran Khan,” the FIA Cybercrime letter stated.
The letter detailed that the Twitter handle “@ImranKhanPTI” with 20.6 million followers, has been spreading false narratives and inciting sentiments against state institutions. “The alleged Twitter handle built a false narrative and spread misinformation against State Institutions of Pakistan including Pakistan Army, through his Twitter account, with 20.6M Followers, having handle as “@ImranKhanPTI”, Profile Name as “Imran Khan and URL as www.twitter.com/ImrankhanPTI.”
It specifically cited a video uploaded on May 26, 2024, at 10:58 PM, with a URL: https://x.com/imrankhanpti/status/1794790306912907381?s=48containing misleading and intimidating content.
According to the FIA Cybercrime Unit’s investigation, the video in question has been viewed by approximately 4.2 million Twitter users, garnered 56,000 likes, and has been retweeted by 38,000 users. The content of the video, it is claimed, could incite mutiny or disregard for duty among officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Armed Forces, which falls under the purview of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
“The said narrative was promoted and disseminated through his aforementioned Twitter profile “@ImranKhanPTI”. The video uploaded on this Twitter handle dated 26-05-2024 at 10:58 PM having URL: https://x.com/imrankhanpti/status/1794790306912907381?s=48is clearly misleading, intimidating and amounts to inciting an officer/soldier of Armed Forces of Pakistan to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty and may induce/ incite any officer/soldier to commit an offence against the State Institutions or Senior Officers of Pakistan Army, which is a mischievous act of subversion within the various ranks of Armed Forces of Pakistan and to create a rift/hatred among the Pillars of the State, which clearly fall under PECA, 2016.
The letter further recommends a thorough investigation and legal action against the user of the Twitter handle, Imran Khan, for his alleged involvement in an anti-state campaign on social media.
“The subject matter needs further probe and investigation, therefore, it is recommended that necessary legal action may kindly be initiated against the user of the Twitter handle “@ImranKhanPTI” involved in the anti-state campaign on social media,” the letter stated.
