On December 15, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said Pakistan had identified extensive evidence of coordinated and paid social media campaigns being operated largely from abroad, warning that individuals involved in online trends targeting the country or state institutions could face legal action.
At a news conference, Chaudhry said investigations had revealed that many social media accounts generating political trends were operating from foreign countries. He alleged that a significant number of these accounts were linked to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and were engaged in organised online activity. According to him, the misuse of digital platforms for propaganda and anti-state messaging would not be tolerated.
The minister said that Pakistan had recently shared background material with foreign media outlining how terrorists and organised networks were using social media to influence public opinion. He said the information highlighted the operation of artificial trends created through WhatsApp groups and other platforms, with individuals paid small sums—ranging from a few rupees to cents per post—to repeatedly circulate content.
Chaudhry stated that most of the accounts involved used fake identities and were frequently renamed depending on the campaign being run. He claimed many were operated by companies based outside Pakistan, making verification difficult due to privacy restrictions and limited access to IP data.
He said evidence presented during the briefing had been sourced directly from the social media platforms concerned, including details of temporary groups formed to coordinate trends before being deleted. He added that the platforms’ own community standards were being violated, resulting in the closure of some accounts.
The minister said Pakistan’s institutions had traced accounts involved in activities supporting banned organisations, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). He said the presence of unrelated international causes promoted by the same networks demonstrated that the activity was driven by commercial incentives.
Chaudhry reaffirmed the government’s position that it supports freedom of expression within constitutional limits but cautioned that no one had the right to harm religious sentiments, target friendly countries, or malign institutions. He said the government did not wish to see ordinary citizens face legal proceedings but warned that action could be taken against those who knowingly participate in paid campaigns deemed harmful to the country.
He said the purpose of the briefing was to clarify that certain online narratives did not reflect genuine public sentiment, adding that Pakistan would continue to cooperate with international partners and engage with social media companies to address the issue.
