Islamabad: The federal government has set up a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to tackle disruptive and harmful social media campaigns stirring chaos in the country. Announced on Saturday, this move comes in response to recent concerns about malicious online activities.
The creation of this JIT follows the recent arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) information secretary Raoof Hasan. Hasan was detained earlier this week in a raid by the Islamabad police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at PTI’s Central Office. He and 11 others face serious charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) for offenses related to cyberterrorism and electronic forgery. His remand has been extended, and two women linked to the case are in judicial custody.
Although the JIT’s announcement does not name PTI directly, it comes amid speculation that the investigation is connected to recent political tensions involving the party. PTI MNA Gohar Khan has suggested that the timing of the investigation is related to a Supreme Court decision that recently favored PTI.
The JIT will be led by Islamabad’s Inspector General of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, and will include senior members from the FIA’s cybercrime and Counter Terrorism Wings, along with the Islamabad police’s investigation and Counter-Terrorism Department.
This team is tasked with uncovering and addressing the root causes of these disruptive social media activities. They will have the authority to conduct searches and seizures as part of their investigation, aiming to bring those responsible to justice and restore order.
