PTI’s Political Committee to Address Irresponsible Use of Official Social Media Accounts

Islamabad: The political committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to bring the issue of irresponsible use of the party’s official social media accounts, especially regarding content against the military and national interests, before party founder and chairman, Imran Khan.

According to party sources, this matter was discussed during a recent meeting of the political committee at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad. Concerns were raised regarding the aggressive and unregulated content being shared from the party’s official social media accounts. The committee agreed that senior PTI leaders will meet Imran Khan in jail to convince him to implement a monitoring mechanism to prevent the misuse of social media platforms, including those directly linked to the party.

It was suggested that Imran Khan form a committee comprising senior PTI leaders who would vet all content before it is posted on the party’s official accounts, including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. The primary aim of this proposal is to curb the influence of foreign-based individuals who are allegedly using these accounts for anti-military campaigns, which could harm Pakistan’s national interests.

While Imran Khan has previously defended these accounts, unease within the party regarding their use is growing. Several senior leaders have expressed concerns over the material being circulated through these platforms. This marks the first time the political committee has officially raised the issue, as in the past, individual party leaders had urged Imran Khan to review the party’s social media policies but no action was taken against those accused of misusing the platforms from abroad.

A senior source within the party revealed that almost all senior PTI leaders, including Barrister Gohar, Ali Amin Gandapur, Salman Akram Raja, Shibli Faraz, Junaid Akbar, Rauf Hassan, Amir Dogar, Hafiz Farhat, and Asad Qaiser, attended the meeting at KPK House in Islamabad. They agreed that strict control over social media platforms is essential. This issue had been discussed prior to the terrorist incident in Balochistan, which had been amplified by PTI’s social media. Allegations suggest that certain authenticated PTI accounts shared propaganda aligning with statements made by militants involved in a train hijacking.

The senior leadership of PTI has expressed that there is no control over the party’s social media accounts, which are reportedly being run from abroad. Party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja, and Information Secretary Waqas Akram Sheikh have no influence over the content posted on these platforms. Efforts to engage with PTI’s U.S. chapter regarding the spread of controversial narratives have been previously ignored.

Party leaders have also complained that their own statements and press conferences are often overlooked on PTI’s official accounts, while posts from YouTubers based abroad gain attention. The pressure from PTI’s social media and specific diaspora groups has led party leaders to avoid refuting false or exaggerated statements and propaganda.

Many believe that only Imran Khan can regulate the party’s digital platforms, but past attempts to convince him have failed, as he has continued to praise and support the content shared from PTI’s official social media accounts.