Task Force Established to Identify Anti-State Propaganda on Social Media in Pakistan

Islamabad: The Pakistani government has set up a joint task force to identify individuals and organizations involved in spreading ‘malicious propaganda’ on social media following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad.
According to a notification issued on Sunday by the Prime Minister’s office, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will lead the 10-member task force. The task force will investigate those responsible for the propaganda during the recent protest and submit its recommendations to the government within 10 days.
The notification also stated that officials from other agencies would be part of the joint task force, which aims to identify ‘propaganda elements’ who have been spreading misleading information about the security forces. The objective, according to the government, is to prevent the spread of false narratives that seek to create unrest and serve political agendas.
The opposition party, PTI, has claimed that police and security personnel killed several of its workers during the protest in Islamabad’s D-Chowk and adjoining areas. The government, however, has rejected these claims over the past few days. Additionally, no official statement has yet been issued by major public hospitals in Islamabad regarding the number of injured brought in during the protest.
PTI-affiliated social media activists have continued to accuse the government of firing live ammunition on protesters in the D-Chowk area.
The task force, in addition to PTA officials, will include representatives from the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing, Intelligence Bureau, ISI, and Military Intelligence. It is tasked with identifying the elements responsible for spreading false propaganda during the PTI protest between November 24-27, and will submit its recommendations to the government within the stipulated timeframe.