Pakistan Arrests Suspect Over Alleged Anti-State Disinformation Campaign Linked to India, Says Information Minister
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar has announced the arrest of a suspect accused of running an alleged disinformation campaign targeting Pakistan and its security institutions, claiming that the operation had links to India.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said the suspect, who was associated with a digital marketing services business, was taken into custody by security agencies some time ago. He alleged that the digital services provided by the individual were connected to entities in India and that an investigation is currently underway.
The minister claimed that payments to promote anti-Pakistan content on social media were made from India and that investigators uncovered what he described as a coordinated misinformation network. According to Tarar, the suspect told investigators that much of the content he received related to the Joint Action Committee in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Tarar further alleged that numerous Indian social media accounts were involved in amplifying content aimed at inciting the public against the state. He claimed that the campaign sought to create unrest in Kashmir and spread misleading narratives about Pakistan and its intelligence agencies.
The information minister also alleged that the network promoted violent protests, used artificial intelligence to recirculate old videos as recent events in Kashmir, and received financial support from India. These allegations have not been independently verified.
He maintained that the government possesses what he described as “irrefutable evidence” of the alleged network’s activities and reiterated the government’s commitment to countering disinformation campaigns targeting Pakistan.
Tarar concluded by saying that Pakistan would continue its path of development, adding that the country’s international standing had improved through the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s leadership.
