Dawn News Peshawar Bureau Chief Ali Akbar lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over AI-generated videos falsely attributed to him and allegedly used to spread fabricated allegations against government officials.

Akbar submitted a complaint to the NCCIA, highlighting that an X (formerly known as Twitter) account uploaded a video on October 12, making unfounded allegations against a bureaucrat using AI-generated visuals and voice mimicking his own. A subsequent video appeared on October 13, targeting provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi with similar fabricated content.

Akbar said the videos had harmed his professional credibility and raised concerns about his personal safety. He urged the NCCIA to identify those responsible and take legal action.

In response to the incident, the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) expressed strong condemnation of the creation and dissemination of the videos. M Riaz, the president of PPC, and the general secretary, Alamgir Khan, issued a joint statement demanding a transparent investigation and appropriate legal actions, warning that the misuse of technology could undermine journalists’ credibility and mislead the public.