Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday announced security agencies had arrested a suspect over allegedly running an India-linked digital influence campaign, adding investigations had found he was providing digital marketing services with links to India.
Addressing a press conference, he alleged the suspect received payments from India to promote anti-Pakistan content on social media. He further claimed the investigation had uncovered a network of bot farms used to spread misinformation and amplify content targeting Pakistan, its sovereignty, the government, the armed forces, and state institutions.
According to Tarar, the suspect disclosed during interrogation that a significant portion of the content he received was related to the activities of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. He alleged the probe had exposed the banned JAAC’s nexus with India.
The JAAC, he continued, had been working to undermine the Kashmir cause and weaken the relationship between the people of Kashmir and Pakistan.
The information minister further claimed the JAAC had no connection with the interests of the Kashmiri people or the Kashmir cause, adding if its members were sincere to the public, they should contest elections and participate in the democratic process.
Tarar said the JAAC’s violent protests had resulted in the martyrdom of Kashmiri police personnel and created a law and order situation in AJK, reiterating allegations of the group’s activities having links with India. He maintained the government possessed irrefutable evidence in this regard.
The minister said the people of Kashmir have rejected the politics of violence and conspiracy, demonstrating the relationship between Pakistan and Kashmir can neither be broken nor weakened. He said investigations into the arrested suspect were ongoing, adding countering misinformation is the government’s responsibility.
Tarar highlighted that Pakistan remains a strong advocate of global peace and, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, the country’s dignity and international standing have been further enhanced.
He expressed confidence that Pakistan would continue its journey of progress and development.