ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) is gearing up to launch an investigation into PTI founder Imran Khan’s contentious social media post on X, formerly Twitter, sources informed The Scoop (TS) on Thursday.
A post on X, formerly Twitter, allegedly attributed to the former prime minister, stated: “Every Pakistani should study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
However, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar clarified in a subsequent interview with a local media outlet that the post was not authorised by Imran Khan, emphasising that he did not review the content before it was uploaded to his account. “Imran Khan has nothing to do with this post as he was not privy to its content or other details. He does not endorse every video or context.”
Gohar defended the tweet, contextualising it within a political framework rather than a military one. “The comparison drawn with the events of 1971 was purely political and not related to the military,” he asserted.
The post on the PTI supremo’s account received widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who asserted that Imran Khan’s true intentions were now apparent to the nation.
In defence of the post, PTI – the former ruling party – stated on the same platform that the reference to the events of 1971 served as a historical reminder for learning purposes, dismissing the backlash.
In response, FIA sources disclosed to The Scoop (TS) that the decision to initiate action was spurred by the upload of a “propaganda video” featuring Mujeeb from the PTI founder’s account on May 26. This video was also part of a broader investigation initiated by the FIA Cyber Crime Wing against Imran Khan’s Twitter account for allegedly promoting anti-state activities and spreading misinformation against state institutions, including the Pakistan Army.
According to a report by the Deputy Director of the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, the Twitter account with the handle *@ImranKhanPTI*, used by Imran Khan, has been found sharing content deemed harmful to state security. The account, which has 20.6 million followers, was reported to have built a false narrative and disseminated misleading information about Pakistan’s state institutions through social media posts.
A specific video uploaded on May 26, 2024, at 10:58 PM, with the URL [https://x.com/imrankhanpli/status/179479030691290738125=48](https://x.com/imrankhanpli/status/179479030691290738125=48), was highlighted in the report. The video, viewed by 4.2 million users, received 56,000 likes and 38,000 retweets. The FIA claims that the content of the video is misleading, intimidating, and intended to incite officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Pakistan to mutiny or disregard their duties. It further alleges that the video aims to create discord and hatred among the ranks of the Armed Forces and other state institutions, constituting an act of subversion under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
The FIA’s Deputy Director Cybercrime Wing reported that the Twitter account *@ImranKhanPTI*, with 20.6 million followers, has been disseminating harmful content against state institutions. The report calls for immediate legal action against the user of the handle, including all relevant screenshots of the posts as evidence and has been forwarded to the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad for further investigation.
“The subject matter needs further probing and investigation,” the FIA report states. “Therefore, it is recommended that necessary legal action may kindly be initiated against the user of the Twitter handle *@ImranKhanPTI* involved in the anti-state campaign on social media.”
“The PTI founder may be in Adiala Jail, but his account is being used to disseminate propaganda videos. FIA’s cyber wing will engage with four individuals from the PTI regarding this matter,” the sources revealed to The Scoop (TS).
These four individuals include Imran Khan, Gohar, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, and Secretary-General Omar Ayub. The FIA team will investigate whether the post was directly uploaded by Imran Khan or with his tacit approval and will probe the origin of the “anti-Pakistan propaganda” video.
“If the account holder is found responsible for these actions, legal measures will be pursued against him. If the account holder is not the perpetrator, then they will need to request the closure of their X account.”
The FIA’s move marks a significant step in combating the spread of what it deems as anti-state propaganda on social media platforms, underscoring the agency’s commitment to maintaining national security and protecting the integrity of state institutions.
