ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has begun a crackdown on online criticism of its military, with up to 200 social media accounts under investigation, a security official said on Monday.
The crackdown is being carried out by the FIA after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed it to take action against social media users posting anti-military material.
“We have received a huge list of suspects, active against national institutions, but we have identified 18 out of over 200 social media activists,” a senior FIA official said. “They are accused of spreading negative material against the Army and other institutions,” added the official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media. At least two people have been interrogated and released, he said.
Interior Minister Nisar, while ordering the crackdown, said the security forces had to be protected.
“Unwarranted criticism of security forces and other institutions responsible for the defence of the realm is not allowed,” Nisar said in a statement last week.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), some of whose members have been investigated under a tough new cyber crime law, denounced the investigations. “It is a violation of fundamental rights,” said PTI spokesman Naeemul Haque.
