Pakistani authorities have arrested eleven social media activists for allegedly targeting the army and inciting unrest through provocative online content, raising concerns about freedom of expression.
Key Points
- Eleven social media activists arrested in Pakistan's Punjab for anti-army content.
- Activists accused of spreading provocative content and inciting unrest.
- Arrests made under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
- Authorities collecting digital evidence to trace networks and online activities.
- Some suspects allegedly linked to Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Eleven social media activists in Pakistan's Punjab province have been arrested for content targeting the army and inciting unrest among the public, an official said on Friday.
A spokesperson for the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) said the 11 social media activists were arrested from different cities of Punjab.
Crackdown on Online Dissent
"The arrested suspects are involved in spreading provocative content and running campaigns against state institutions, especially the Pakistan Army, through social media and other online platforms. Raids were carried out on Thursday to arrest them," he said.
Three suspects were arrested from Lahore; three from Faisalabad, four individuals were arrested from Multan, while one was detained from Gujranwala, he said.
Investigation and Legal Action
The spokesperson further said that digital evidence and social media records are being collected from the arrested individuals to trace their possible networks and online activities.
The arrested suspects have been booked under different sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
Government's Stance
NCCIA Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Waseem said that no leniency would be shown towards those involved in anti-state propaganda and attempts to spread panic and instability among the public.
Political Connections
According to sources, some of the arrested suspects belong to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Khan has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases.
Previous Arrests
Early this month, the NCCIA Punjab arrested 13 anti-state social media activities in different cities of the province.
The suspects were involved in running a campaign against the state, particularly the army and the government functionaries, across various social media platforms, the officials claimed.
Some of the suspects were also allegedly involved in posting content targeting Gulf countries in the wake of the Iran war.
