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December 16, 2025 - Comments Off on “Anti-state campaigns” on social media condemned as paid trends

“Anti-state campaigns” on social media condemned as paid trends

State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry has targeted opposition political parties and foreign actors for concocting “paid” social media trends against Pakistan. According to Mr Chaudhry, the Pakistani government has unearthed coordinated social media campaigns on Whatsapp groups and X that promote terrorism and incite anti-state sentiment meant to manipulate public opinion. Mr Chaudhry also asserted that accounts affiliated with PTI are at the root of many such trends spreading misinformation against the state, and called for harsh punishments against individuals who knowingly participate in “paid trends”. Driven by a commercial rather than ideological logic, he also clarified that such rhetoric is not reflective of public opinion.

December 12, 2025 - Comments Off on Govt hints at banning “uncooperative” social media platforms

Govt hints at banning “uncooperative” social media platforms

According to the Minister of State for Law and Justice, the Pakistani government will consider restrictions on social media platforms that fail to comply with local directives. These comments were targeted at X, which according to the Barrister’s comments, serves as a hotspot of disinformation, terrorism, and anti-state rhetoric. Specifically, the government has expressed repeated frustrations at the platform’s perceived indifference to anti-state tweets posted under PTI leader Imran Khan’s official account. The Pakistani government is currently investigating a ban on the founder's account and such comments serve to build pressure on a platform that views Pakistan as a lucrative market.

October 24, 2025 - Comments Off on  Over a Hundred Social Media Users arrested for inflammatory content

 Over a Hundred Social Media Users arrested for inflammatory content

As part of the province-wide crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan, an ultra-conservative religious party renowned for weaponizing blasphemy politics for political gains, Punjab Police has arrested over a hundred handlers of social media accounts associated with promoting religious extremism. Punjab has banned all public demonstrations or symbols associated with the TLP, and the extent of its crackdown has now reached digital spaces where religious extremist spaces have routinely promoted vitriolic narratives against religious minorities. The effects of this crackdown in curbing religious extremism, however, depend on a host of factors- least of all the fact that the state itself must comply with appropriate and proportionate accountability measures against those responsible for spreading hateful content.

October 23, 2025 - Comments Off on PTI MNA Booked Under Cybercrime Laws for comments regarding PM Shahbaz’s Egypt Trip

PTI MNA Booked Under Cybercrime Laws for comments regarding PM Shahbaz’s Egypt Trip

An FIR has been lodged at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center against PTI MNA Shandana Gulzar for her alleged inflammatory and hateful posts regarding Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s trip to Egypt during the “Gaza Peace Summit”.  She is currently under investigation under  multiple sections of the PECA Act due to her allegations that PM Shahbaz was cordial with the Israeli premier during the Gaza Summit, despite Netanyahu not being present in Egypt for the Peace Agreement.

Over the last week, Shandana- along with other PTI affiliated accounts on X- posted low-quality images of what appeared to be a friendly meeting between Shahbaz Sharif and Israeli PM Netenyahu. Labelled as treasonous due to Pakistan’s position of non-recognition towards the Israeli state, these posts fuelled anxieties regarding Pakistan’s potential accession to the Abraham Accords- implying normalization with Israel. However, these rumors were quickly dispelled once it became clear that these pictures showed Shahbaz Sharif not with Netanyahu but rather the Armenian Prime Minister. PM Netanyahu, as was official news, was not present at the Gaza Summit.