Govt identify over 500 social media accounts involved in anti-judiciary campaign

The government has identified over 500 social media accounts involved in the anti-judiciary campaign.

The caretaker Information Minister Murtaza said on Monday that the government has identified 500 social media accounts involved in running a “malicious campaign” against the judiciary, adding that it was also monitoring several other similar accounts.

“An investigation is underway. We are monitoring hundreds of accounts and action will be taken against them,” the interim Information Minister said addressing a press conference in Islamabad flanked by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials.

He added that these accounts were being operated from both within and outside the country.

“Action will be taken against those involved in the recent malicious campaign against Supreme Court judges, under the law and constitution,” he said.

Murtaza Solangi said, “Article 19 of the Constitution marks a boundary for freedom of speech. Some people have business of spreading lies as they sit with “two and a half people” in their vlogs.”

FIA Cybercrime Director Operations Waqaruddin Syed addressing the presser warned those spreading anarchy through social media saying that they would resort to action against those spreading anarchy against the state or its institutions.

The FIA director said they would take action against the social media accounts involved in the said smear campaign whether being operated from within the country or outside it.

“We will fully utilise the authority assigned to us,” he maintained.

FIA Cybercrime Director Operations said those living abroad had an association with various political parties. He said verification of fake news was mandatory before forwarding it.

He said hundreds of social media accounts had been identified and the FIA would present its report to the JIT within the mandated time fortnight, the FIA director operations added.

Answering a query about how action would be taken against the overseas Pakistanis, he said they had relations with the country and they must be travelling here.

The PTA official said the PTA had the authority to remove content from social media. Hence, their fundamental job in such a situation was to block the internet and delete the objectionable content, he said.

“Social media’s outreach is enormous and easy but people are not aware of its utility,” he said.

Last week, the interior ministry formed a five-member joint investigation team (JIT) to “ascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign” against Supreme Court judges.

The JIT was formed under Section 30 (power to investigate) of the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 and was convened by the additional director general of the Federal Investiga­tion Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing, according to an interior ministry notification.