Crackdown Across Punjab: 13 Arrested Over Anti-State Social Media Activities in One Month

By Muhammad Shahzad | Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: A province-wide crackdown against alleged anti-state social media activities has led to the arrest of 13 individuals over the past month, according to a spokesperson of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The spokesperson said the operations were conducted on the directives of Director NCCIA Punjab Muhammad Ali Waseem, as part of ongoing efforts to monitor and curb unlawful online content.
According to details, the arrests were made across multiple regions of Punjab. In the Gujranwala Circle, Hamid Raza, Imran Afzal, and Waqar Ahmad were taken into custody. In the Faisalabad Circle, Ismail and Siddiq were arrested.
In the Multan Circle, law enforcement authorities detained Arshad, Umar, Junaid, and Azhar, while in the Lahore Circle, Usman, Qamar, Abbas, and Tahir Mushtaq were arrested during separate operations.
The spokesperson stated that the accused were allegedly involved in sharing content on social media targeting state institutions and government authorities. Such activities, he added, were considered harmful to public order and governance.
Cases have been registered against all suspects, and digital evidence has reportedly been recovered from their possession. Authorities said investigations will proceed on merit in accordance with the law.
The NCCIA emphasized that the misuse of social media, including the dissemination of provocative or misleading content against state institutions, is a punishable offense under relevant cybercrime laws.