Islamabad:
In a major development of the current survey on anti-state propaganda on social networks, the joint survey team (JIT) decided to issue arrest mandates against 20 Pakistani leaders in Tehreek-E-insaf (PTI), sources confirmed on Wednesday.
According to sources, the decision was made after the PTI leaders did not cooperate in the investigation, despite the reception of several JIT assignments. Opinions would have been served in the residences of all the persons concerned.
Among those who are confronted with arrest are personalities from PTI Seniors including Waqas Akram, Hammad Azhar, Zulfi Bukhari, Aon Abbas, Mian Aslam, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Taimur Saleem and Jibran Ilyas. Mandates should also be delivered for Khalid Khurshid, Shahbaz Gill, Azhar Mashwani and several others. Radio broadcaster Pakistan previously reported that JIT has solid evidence against these individuals.
The JIT, led by the Inspector General of Islamabad, was trained under article 30 of the 2016 Electronic Crimes (PECA) prevention law to probe anti-state-related anti-state activities.
Several PTI personalities – including the president of the Barrister Gohar Ali Khan party, the head of the opposition of the Senate Shibli Faraz and the sister of Imran Khan, Aleema Khan – already appeared before the JIT during the investigation.
According to sources, the people summoned were largely questioned about their social media managers and their controversial positions linked to military and state institutions. We would have shown specific content and requested to clarify its origin and its objective.
In addition to questions about social media activity, the investigation also dived on party financial issues. Barrister Gohar and others were also questioned about the funding of the party. PTI submitted complete files linked to the party funds to the JIT.
The JIT had previously warned against a strict action against those who had not appeared before him.
