PM forms panel to crack down on anti-state propaganda

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: The federal government, after approval by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has formed a 10-member joint task force to identify those involved in spreading malicious propaganda against the state of Pakistan, which will present its report in 10 days.

An order issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “Consequent to the recent incidents of terrorism and vandalism, a massive malicious camapaign has been orchestrated to discredit State of Pakistan in general and security forces in particular. Multiple domestic and foreign-based media platforms are being used to perpetrate concocted, baseless and inciting news implicating State apparatus for committing serious human rights violations. This campaign is aimed at creating serious law and order situation in the country and foment provincialism and ethnic cleavages for specific vested political interests. To attract foreign audience. perpetrators of this inimical campaign attempted to create serious human rights violations through fictitious violent images and contents.”

According to the letter, the chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will head the joint task force comprising joint secretaries of the ministries of interior and information, director of IT (Ministry of IT), Islamabad Police DIG, director of Cyber Crimes Wing of FIA, joint director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), representatives of the Inter Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI). The JTF may also include other officers as needed.

The JTF has been tasked with (i) identifying individuals/groups and organisations involved in creating and spreading fake and misleading news surrounding political miscreants in Islamabad from 24-27 November 2024 including entire media campaign related to the issue, (ii) tracking and tracing individuals/groups, whether in Pakistan or abroad, involved in this malicious campaign and bringing them to justice under the law, and iii. suggesting measures to bridge policy gaps.

The JTF has been directed to present its findings “within 10 days and bring perpetrators to justice at the earliest.”

On Sunday, Interior Secretary Captain (retd) Muhammad Khurram Agha said that on November 21, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued directives to the federal government to maintain law and order in the federal capital at all costs.

Addressing a press conference here at the Press Information Department (PID), the secretary said the High Court also directed the Minister of Interior to engage the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership on maintenance of law and order.

He further said that because of the visit of Belarusian president and a high-level Chinese delegation, as well as the law & order situation in Kurram, the PTI was repeatedly asked to postpone its protest. The secretary said the High Court had upheld the right to protest while emphasizing the need to adhere to legal requirements.

He mentioned that in the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, it was clearly written that protesters were required to submit an application at least seven days in advance, and after that, the District Magistrate would designate a suitable location for the demonstration.

The PTI leadership was repeatedly informed about this legal requirement, but no application was submitted. The court also emphasized the need to protect people’s lives and property during the protest, particularly with the ongoing visit of the Belarusian president and the presence of key government buildings and embassies in the Red Zone.

In the light of these security concerns, a comprehensive security plan was devised and implemented to ensure public safety, he added.

Khurram said during the march, the violent protesters aggressively attacked the law enforcement agencies personnel on duty. They used weapons including steel slingshots, stun grenades, tear gas shells, nail-studded batons, etc., to force their way into the Red Zone. The protesters damaged public and private properties in the Blue Area.

He said law enforcement agencies personnel despite suffering serious injuries showed extreme restraint while dealing with the violent protesters led by trained miscreants. Three Rangers personnel assigned on duty at a check-post in Islamabad were martyred, besides a police constable was also martyred by the violent protesters, he added.

The secretary said the Pakistan Army was deployed in Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution and the purpose of its deployment was to secure important installations and ensure a safe environment for foreign diplomats and visiting delegations.

He categorically rejected the claim of the use of force by law enforcement agencies and said that police and Rangers did not use live ammunition to disperse the violent and unruly mob.

Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Interior said the High Court had directed the interior minister to engage with the PTI leadership. Given the sensitivity of Belarusian president and Chinese high-level delegation visits, PTI was initially asked to postpone the protest. But on their persistence to continue with the protest, PTI was subsequently offered Sangjani area as the designated location. In this regard, out of the ordinary and at odd timings, meetings were also allowed between the PTI leadership and its founder. On the contrary and in spite of the extraordinary concessions extended, the PTI violated the court’s orders blatantly and instead of holding a protest at the designated place (Sangjani), it unlawfully breached entry towards the Red Zone of Islamabad.

The sources said throughout the protest march from Peshawar to Red Zone Islamabad, violent protesters of PTI aggressively engaged LEAs, repeatedly using firearms and all sorts of other weaponry, including steel sling shots, stun grenades, tear gas shells and nail studded batons to force their way to Red Zone. This violent protest was primarily orchestrated and logistically & financially sustained and supported by the resources of the government of KP.

Alarmingly, PTI’s protest included violent and trained miscreant elements, including many illegal Afghan nationals who spearheaded the riots and violent activities throughout the march. These miscreants, employed as violent vanguard, comprised approximately 1,500 hardcore fighters working directly under the absconder and proclaimed offender Murad Saeed.

The sources said this vanguard group, using militant tactics, violently attacked the LEAs and breached the blocks with the help of government machinery, paving the way for the second wave of vehicles and protesters to cross. It must be noted that LEAs personnel, despite sustaining grievous injuries, exhibited a high degree of restraint against these violent protesters led by trained miscreants.”

Higlighting the violence, they said: “During this, a vehicle also ran over Rangers personnel performing duty at a check post in Islamabad, resulting in shahadat of three Rangers soldiers and critical injuries to five. Besides, during the violent protest, one policeman embraced shahadat and 232 LEAs personnel were also grievously injured by these miscreants. This violent mob not only attacked security forces but also set multiple police vehicles on fire, showcased firearms, burnt trees and police tents, damaged properties and created terror among the common citizens.

“Pakistan Army was deployed in Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution only to secure key government installations and foreign diplomats in the sensitive Red Zone while ensuring secure environment for high-profile foreign dignitaries visiting the country.”

The sources added: “On 26 November, as protesting miscreants reached the Red Zone, violating the lawful orders of the IHC, the situation escalated and they directly clashed multiple times with LEAs using firearms, tear gas shells, stun grenades, steel sling shots and nail studded batons, etc.

“LEAs comprising police and Rangers were employed without live ammunition to disperse this violent mob while army neither came in direct clash with these miscreants nor employed for riot control. During this process, the armed guards of the protesting leaders and the hardcore armed miscreants resorted to indiscriminate firing. The leadership under the cover of such self-induced violence instead of controlling the violent mob fled from the area. Once the area had been cleared from the violent protesters and miscreants, site media visit was also promptly undertaken by both the information minister and minister for interior followed by the press talks.

“Unfortunately, social media accounts of PTI resorted to planned and coordinated massive fake propaganda of deaths caused by LEAs so as to divert attention from this senseless, violent and failed activity. The major hospitals of the capital city after due diligence rubbished reports of alleged gunshots casualties inflicted by LEAs. However, sustained fabricated social media campaign, using old and AI generated clips is being viciously undertaken by PTI and joined by other inimical elements. There have been multiple false claims of deaths ranging from tens to hundreds to thousands on social media as well as PTI political leadership and their official pages.

“Alarmingly, certain elements of foreign media also fell prey to this fake news and propaganda without any credible evidence. The government functionaries including ministers as well as chief commissioner ICT and senior police officials, who were directly involved in these riot control operations, have already repeatedly explained and clarified the actual situation and events unfolding with credible evidences. It may also be noted that use of lethal means by LEAs, if at all to be employed, was best suited at multiple enroute blocks rather than within Red Zone under complete media and public glare.”

The sources reminded, “Officers and jawans of LEAs embraced shahadat, sustained injuries and risked their lives enduring grave physical hardships for multiple days to protect the lives and properties of citizens of Pakistan. Still many jawans of Rangers and Police are critically injured and are receiving medical care.

“Unfortunately, PTI and its social media propagandists are bent upon creating divisions and confusion within the society. Such elements, whether inside the country or abroad, will surely be held accountable under relevant laws and no one will be allowed to sow divisions, hatred and propagating fake news.

“It is deplorable that Chief Minister of KP made baseless inflammatory statements against institutions, using KP Assembly as a platform to distort facts and spread blatant lies, rather than being shameful of inciting innocent youth of KP for such undesirable activities.

“It is concerning to note that 39 lethal weapons, including 18 automatic weapons, have been recovered from the violent protesters and that amongst the apprehended offenders there are more than three dozen paid aliens.

“With regards to material losses incurred during the violent protests, initial estimates suggest damages to the tune of hundreds of millions. Besides, 11 vehicles of LEAs were damaged, including prison vans set ablaze.

“Due to these violent protests, indirect losses to the economy are estimated to be Rs192 billion per day. In addition to that, significant expenditure incurred on taking necessary security measures. While the plundering of the financial resources by the KP government are separate.”

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar Sunday disclosed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Murad Saeed was hiding in the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, who was present in the protest here with a trained group.

The minister contended that an attempt was made to destroy peace of the federal capital and that Murad Saeed (former minister), who leads armed Afghan citizens and miscreants, was hiding in the CM House, Peshawar.

Speaking to a news conference here along with Secretary Interior Khurram Ali Agha, Tarar claimed Murad had sent trained groups who were given orders to gun down people during the PTI demonstration here. The minister wondered what kind of politics is this as Murad was doing this before too, he had made a regular plan and the purpose of going to the Red Zone was to abolish the state writ.

Tarar said that though Murad Saeed was hiding in the CM KP House and was a participant in the protest and trained groups were present with him “it does not seem right for us to raid the CM KP House”.

Addressing the PTI, he said, “You did wrong from the beginning, you ran over the Rangers with a vehicle, you martyred three Rangers soldiers.” He regretted that a campaign was being run on social media, lies were being spread about their failure in Islamabad, criminals and Afghans were present in the protest and people involved in the protest were trained.

“Whenever a foreign leader comes, why is such a call given. While this protest was going on, the visit of the president of Belarus was under way.” He charged the KP government gave crores of rupees and weapons to the protesters. “Protesters do not come armed with guns, weapons and stones.”

The minister said, “Have you ever seen an AK-47 rifle being held in any protest in the world? Is it allowed to keep grenades in any protest in the world”.

About the law-enforcement agencies, he said that a policeman neither cares about the cold nor heat, he stands for our protection. “You have committed murder, officers and soldiers of the state are not allowed to have live weapons.”

Regarding the PTI propaganda, he said they put up pictures of those who died in Kurram and say that these are from Islamabad. “No one was killed by the weapons of law enforcement, the weapons were in the possession of these anarchists, they are making fake videos and making fake pictures.”

He pointed out that as many as 37 foreigners, criminals and people with records were involved in the PTI protest. The arrested people say that they were paid money. He lamented that there was chaos in Kurram but all the attention was on politics. “You have failed politically, failed to show the bodies, show any evidence that live firing was done, show any video in which live firing was done,” he maintained and asked when a place was offered for the protest, what was the need to go to the Red Zone?

According to the reports of PIMS and Polyclinic Hospital, he noted, no one died due to firing by the law enforcement agency. “These people send their people ahead and run away. They have no public demand. The people of KP did not come out to protest,” he claimed.

Secretary Interior Khurram Ali Agha said the Islamabad High Court had said that you also have to protect the citizens. “Our law enforcement agencies showed great patience. An attempt was also made to provoke our law enforcement officials.”

He said the protesters opened fire without provocation, some officials were martyred and injured. “We deny the claims of live firing by the law enforcement agencies. We will respond to any article published in the international media,” he emphasized.

During the news conference, the statements of arrested PTI miscreants were also shown to the media. The miscreants said that their leadership had left them helpless and fled.

Replying to questions, the minister said anarchists opened fire on the police without provocation. “We have presented evidence, we have even revealed the place, time and identity. PTI should present one piece of evidence in which a law enforcement official opened fire on the protesters,” he challenged.

He advised the KP government to serve the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding the people do not benefit from the politics of lies, slander and corpses. “A true politician does not want any action that insults the mandate of people. We are political people, we do not want to do that. We have tagged fake posts as fake,” he said.

The minister explained that the Ministry of Information has a platform, under which fake posts were being identified and added they (PTI) linked the pictures of 2019 incident with the D-Chowk protest.

About journalist Matiullah Jan, the minister said he spread false news about the Rangers that they had killed their own personnel. He was of the view what Matiullah Jan had done was wrong and that he was in touch with journalistic organizations in this regard. “There should be a task force that looks into such matters. Protecting journalists is our top priority. Only videos of old incidents were made public by PTI,” he said.

The minister said the government tried to stop them peacefully and added the protesters were armed. “The state is powerful but the state also shows patience and tolerance and we showed patience till the last moment.” The protesters, he noted, were trying to produce bodies of their own people. “Bushra Bibi’s thinking has come to the fore, she wanted to produce bodies. Their repeated running away from the scene is a big failure,” he said.

On the other hand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Sunday dismissed the Centre’s claim that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed was in hiding at the CM House in Peshawar.

Speaking on the Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan”, Barrister Saif said: “If they had seen Murad Saeed, they would have arrested him.” He asked why the government did not arrest Saeed if he was spotted during the Islamabad protest. “I think, Murad Saeed was not there,” he added.

Responding to a question, Barrister Saif claimed that the PTI protesters were unarmed, adding that law enforcers opened straight fire on their workers. He was of the view that the government was misguiding the nation.

To another query, he reiterated: “PTI founder allowed us to stage a demonstration at Sangjani area in Islamabad.”