The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed by the federal government, has summoned 15 more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members for questioning over allegations of spreading negative propaganda on social media.
The individuals summoned include key PTI figures such as Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Rauf Hassan, Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Mohammad Khalid Khurshid Khan, Mian Mohammad Aslam Iqbal, Mohammad Hamad Azhar, Aoun Abbas, Aliya Hamza Malik, Mohammad Shahbaz Shabbir, Waqas Akram, Kanwal Shauzab, Taimoor Saleem Khan, Asad Qaiser, and Shah Farman.
Sources indicate that the JIT has gathered substantial evidence to support its investigation. The inquiry will focus on suspected anti-state propaganda activities involving these PTI members.
Official notices have been sent, instructing them to appear before the investigation team on March 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM. The JIT has urged them to clarify their stance on the allegations.
The team is led by the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, and is expected to propose legal action in accordance with relevant laws. The notices emphasize that those summoned must respond to the allegations and provide their explanations.
Earlier, the JIT had also issued summonses to 10 members of PTI’s social media team as part of a similar investigation. This development reflects the government’s intensified scrutiny of online activities linked to political narratives.
The investigation is part of broader efforts to regulate digital discourse and counter online content deemed harmful to state interests. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking legal measures against individuals engaged in activities perceived as misleading or destabilizing.
As scrutiny of political content on digital platforms increases, concerns have been raised regarding the implications for online freedom of expression. The outcome of the JIT proceedings is likely to influence the ongoing discourse on the regulation of political content on social media in Pakistan.
