’Not a BOT’ trends on Twitter after PML-N accuses PTI of using fake accounts

I am “Not a BOT” became one of the top trends on Twitter after the ruling PML-N claimed that the PTI is using botnets to generate coordinated and spam activity to artificially boost their trends against the government led by newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

On Monday, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz alleged that PTI’s “criminal ring” led by former prime minister Imran Khan was running a smear campaign on social media against the state institutions after his ouster from the power earlier this month.

In a series of tweets, the ruling party leader said the malicious campaign and “lies” about foreign conspiracy were spread by a handful of people employing hundreds of fake accounts and bots.

“Another IK [Imran Khan] lie exposed, another Conspiracy unveiled. Turns out that the slander campaigns against State institutions & lies about international conspiracy were churned out & spread by no more than a handful of people employing hundreds of fake accounts & BOTS,” she wrote on her official Twitter handle.

PTI leaders and supporters took to Twitter to brush aside the PML-N leader's claim that their reaction against the government on social media was not organic.

“This is Pakistan Tehreek Insaf Social Media team, we [are] keyboard warriors of Imran Khan. Not a Bot,” wrote the former ruling party on its official Twitter handle.

Journalist Imran Riaz Khan also posted data about Twitter trend #امپوٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور [imported government, unacceptable], which became the top trending hashtag after the PTI-led government was toppled by joint opposition through a vote of no-confidence.

In a vlog on his YouTube channel, journalist Imran Khan also accused the PML-N of using distorted hashtags on Twitter to spread “propaganda” against the opponents criticising the new government.

“We are the hundreds of thousands who turned up in Peshawar. We stand with Imran Khan. And yes, we are NOT A BOT,” said another PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra.

Journalist Ihtishamul Haq shared a purported screenshot of PML-N leader Maryam’s deleted tweet in which she had shared a list of Twitter handles contributing to the “fake trends”.

Likewise, other PTI leaders and former cabinet ministers also shared the same thoughts on the microblogging website.