The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday arrested a journalist for running trends against the prime minister on social media, a private TV channel reported.
A case has been registered against Sabir Hashmi after the FIA Cyber Crime Wing conducted an operation in Lahore’s Model Town area. According to the FIA, Sabir was accused of running an “indecent” trend against PM Imran Khan. The agency has seized Hashmi’s mobile phone and other belongings.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed dismay over malicious social media campaign targeting the premier and First Lady Bushra Bibi and termed it “pathetic and intolerable”.
The premier expressed these view while chairing a Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the ruling PTI in Islamabad on Monday. “Unchecked media freedom is devastating and such smear campaigns targeting personal lives should be discouraged,” the premier was quoted as saying during the meeting.
The PM was referring to the recent report published in an English weekly which indirectly implied that Premier Imran and his wife had developed differences and the first lady had been living with her friend in Lahore. The PTI leaders have rubbished reports about personal issues between PM Imran and his wife.
Minister for State for Information Farrukh Habib said “certain quarters” were involved in spreading “fake news” regarding premier’s personal life. Without naming anyone, he called them to refrain from resorting to “cheap tactics” by dragging an apolitical woman into politics.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill said a legal action will be pursued against individuals propagating fake news. “We are already contesting a case against a senior journalist for sharing fabricated news about the prime minister and his wife,” Gill said on social media. “You can do politics and journalism, but propagating fake news about family members who are not in politics will be dealt with in a court of law.”
A day ago, a journalist had claimed that Bushra Bibi had “gotten into a fight with PM Imran Khan” and had left Bani Gala for Lahore to stay at her friend, Farah Khan’s house. The rumour soon started spreading on social media and WhatsApp groups.
Farah Khan, however, refuted the news of the couple’s alleged fight and separation and denied that the first lady was staying at her place.
Meanwhile, Senator Faisal Javed demanded an inquiry into the matter of spreading rumours against PM’s family. The senator called for strict measures to be taken against the accused for partaking in “yellow journalism and cheap acts”.
Calling the accused “the enemies of the state,” Javed said that acts like these are against the country and the PM, who has never been involved in corruption.
