Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar has confirmed that security agencies previously sacked a suspect allegedly involved in operating an India linked digital influence campaign targeting Pakistan through social media platforms. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the individual had been providing digital marketing services, while investigations later revealed that these services had links with India. According to Tarar, authorities found that payments for promoting anti Pakistan content on social media were made from India, indicating the existence of a coordinated online influence operation. He said the investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to examine the full scope of the network and identify additional connections related to the digital campaign.
Tarar stated that investigators uncovered a network of bot farms that was being used to spread misinformation and amplify content targeting Pakistan, its sovereignty, the government, the armed forces, and other state institutions. According to the minister, the suspect disclosed during questioning that a significant portion of the material received for online promotion was related to the activities of the proscribed Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee in Azad Kashmir. He further claimed that the investigation exposed links between the banned organization and India, adding that authorities had gathered evidence supporting these findings. The minister said the network was designed to increase the reach of coordinated online content through automated and organized digital activity intended to influence public opinion.
The information minister further alleged that the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee had been working to undermine the Kashmir cause and weaken the relationship between the people of Kashmir and Pakistan. He maintained that the organization did not represent the interests of the Kashmiri people or the broader Kashmir cause. Tarar stated that if members of the group were sincere in pursuing their objectives, they should participate in the democratic process by contesting elections rather than engaging in activities that, according to the government, undermine public order. He also said violent protests linked to the group resulted in the martyrdom of Kashmiri police personnel and created a law and order situation in Azad Kashmir. The minister added that the government possesses what he described as irrefutable evidence connecting the group’s activities with India.
Tarar said the people of Kashmir have rejected what he described as politics based on violence and conspiracy, demonstrating that the relationship between Pakistan and Kashmir remains strong. He emphasized that investigations into the suspect are continuing and stressed that addressing misinformation and coordinated digital influence campaigns is the government’s responsibility. The minister also stated that Pakistan continues to advocate for global peace and said the country’s dignity and international standing have been strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. Authorities have indicated that further investigations will continue as security agencies examine additional evidence related to the alleged digital influence network and its activities.
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