Cyber conflicts leading to real-life death

Two men recently murdered after inappropriate posts on social media

LAHORE: Social media platforms have become indispensable for its users over the years. In the modern era, the risks of using social media are often overlooked due to the obvious advantages. At the same time, these platforms continue to provide criminal elements convenient tools with which to lure potential victims.

In recent weeks, social media websites have been used to create or spark conflicts in the provincial capital.

The city is home to certain elements that take pleasure in collecting and displaying their arms and ammunition online. Many such gun owners often post pictures of their arms on social media with the intention to flex their muscles in front of potential enemies.

The recent murders of two young men were also committed after the inappropriate use of social media. A year ago in Shera Kot, a man named Bhatti was stripped of his clothes and tortured over a business dispute. The man’s tormentors, Malik Baber and others, also decided to film the incident and post it online. After the video went viral, tensions escalated between Bhatti and Baber over the next three months. Reportedly, a member of the Bhatti group was murdered outside Camp Jail.

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On Monday, the bullet-riddled body of a person was found from a plot and identified as Hafiz Bilal from Shera Kot. An FIR has been registered against Baber after he was accused by the deceased’s father. The father said that his deceased son was called to a guesthouse and murdered by the acquaintances of Baber. “Our opponents threatened us many times,” Hafiz’s father added.

Another incident of murder took place in Sanda where a man named Bilal was shot by his opponents over a domestic dispute. Reportedly, Malik Musawwar and Humayun, who were friends of Bilal, started posting inappropriate pictures of the latter on social media websites to tease him.

On September 10, the opponents confronted each other and exchanged harsh words after which the matter was resolved by neighbors. The next day, Bilal was followed by his enemies who opened fire on him and shot him dead.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Zeeshan Asghar told The Express Tribune that the murder of Hafiz is being probed in Shera Kot. “Malik Baber is still on the run. Investigations have suggested that Baber and Hafiz were friends and the latter created a Facebook group, along with his friends. Posts were created on that group to intentionally annoy Baber.”

About the Sanda murder case, the SSP said that two persons were nominated as suspects. “One of the accused, Humayun, has been arrested by the police while the other accused, Malik Musawwur, has obtained pre-arrest bail.”

Lahore SSP Operations Lahore Ismail Kharak has written a letter to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), requesting it to shut down inappropriate web pages and websites.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2019.