Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Social Media Head, Arslan Khalid, was arrested on Thursday, October 22, 2020, for running a campaign on social media linked to the army chief. The arrest was made in Lahore, Pakistan, by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cybercrime wing. The campaign was launched on social media in 2016, and Khalid was accused of running a fake social media account to defame the political opponents of the PTI.
PTI’s Social Media Head Arrested
Arslan Khalid, who is also a special assistant to the Prime Minister, was arrested by the FIA cybercrime wing for running a campaign on social media linking the army chief to the PTI. The campaign was launched on social media in 2016 and was intended to defame the political opponents of the PTI. According to the FIA, Khalid was running a fake social media account under the name of "Farhan Virk," which he used to post defamatory content against the political opponents of the PTI. The FIA also claimed that Khalid had violated the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The PTI has not yet issued any statement on Khalid’s arrest. It is not clear whether he will be suspended from his position as the social media head of the PTI. Khalid has previously come under fire for his controversial social media posts. In 2018, he was criticised for posting a tweet about the Sharif family, which was deemed to be derogatory.
Campaign Linked to Army Chief
The campaign that led to Arslan Khalid’s arrest was linked to the army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The FIA claimed that the campaign was intended to create a false impression that the army chief was supporting the PTI. The FIA also claimed that Khalid had used fake social media accounts to post defamatory content against the political opponents of the PTI. Khalid has been accused of violating the PECA and the PPC.
The PTI has been accused of using social media to spread false information and propaganda. The party has been criticised for using social media to harass and intimidate political opponents. The arrest of Khalid is a significant development in the ongoing debate about social media and its impact on politics in Pakistan. The FIA’s action against Khalid is also a warning to those who use social media to spread false information and propaganda.
The arrest of PTI’s Social Media Head, Arslan Khalid, for running a campaign linked to the army chief, has raised concerns about the misuse of social media in Pakistani politics. The PTI has not yet issued any statement on Khalid’s arrest, and it is not clear whether he will be suspended from his position as the social media head of the PTI. The FIA’s action against Khalid is a warning to those who use social media to spread false information and propaganda. The arrest also highlights the need for greater regulation of social media in Pakistan.