FIA opens probe into hate campaign against martyrs

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) opens an investigation into the spread of negative propaganda on social media against the helicopter crash and martyrs in Balochistan, hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned against a “self-righteous political narrative” that weaponised hate speech.

The FIA constituted on Sunday a four-member joint investigation team (JIT), headed by Additional Director General of the Cyber Crime Wing (CCW), Muhammad Jafar, to investigate the elements spreading negative propaganda against the six martyred officers. The JIT included CCW North Director Waqaruddin Syed, Additional Director Ayaz and Imran Haider.

The FIA investigation opened as certain political zealots and a section of social media activists launched an abhorring campaign on popular social media platforms to advance their personal and political malice, following the army helicopter crash on August 1.

Six army officers, including Quetta Corps Commander Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali, embraced martyrdom following in the crash in in Balochistan, while on a mission to provide relief to the flood-affected people in the province.

The JIT would have the power to examine each and every social media account running the propaganda campaign and summon such elements. Information about the campaigners would also be obtained and cases would be registered against such elements after their arrests.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his extreme displeasure at that the social media campaign aimed at belittling and ridiculing the sacrifices of martyrs, observing that the self-righteous political narratives were poisoning the minds of the youth and spurring hate speech.

Writing on his Twitter handle, the prime minister slammed this “horrifying” campaign and stressed that the moment called for a deep reflection and retrospection. “Which way are we headed?” the prime minister questioned, while expressing his worry.

“The social media campaign belittling & ridiculing the sacrifices of our martyrs was horrifying. This is what self-righteous political narratives do: they poison the minds of the youth & weaponise hate speech. Which way are we headed? The moment calls for a deep reflection,” Shehbaz tweeted.

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The Pakistan army had expressed serious concern over the propaganda campaign after the incident. Video statements of some elements had also come on record in which they spoke about their affiliation, and promised not to spread such heinous propaganda in the future.

Last week, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) strongly condemned the “hurtful and derogatory” comments made by a certain group of people, saying that it had “caused deep anguish and distress among Shuhada families and rank and file” of the armed forces.

“While the whole nation stood with the institution in this difficult time, certain insensitive quarters resorted to hurtful and derogatory comments on social media which is unacceptable and highly condemnable,” the ISPR said in a statement.

Later, ISPR Director General Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar explained that they were compelled to issue the statement after a certain group of people launched a hateful campaign against the army and its leadership. “This is unacceptable and it should be condemned at all levels,” he told a private news channel.

Speaking during a news conference on Saturday, defence minister Khawaja Asif blamed “a person who was imposed upon the nation in 2018” – a tacit reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan – for the hate campaign on the social media platforms.

Asif said that the nation needed to reflect on who brought the situation to this point. “If the institutions are used against political opponents then it’s fine but when the same institutions act against you there is a problem,” he said.

“These institutions protect us ... in a society there can be differences but one should never resort to defamatory language ... these are not our political traditions,” he said. “When a child gets spoiled what do the elders do? They try to correct them,” Asif added.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bezinjo also condemned the negative propaganda. “The officers and jawans of Pakistan Army who are engaged in relief activities from Khyber to the coasts of Balochistan need the encouragement of the nation,” he said, in a statement.

“Certain insensitive quarters resorted to hurtful and derogatory comments on social media,” he deplored and vowed that “no power in the world can separate the Pakistan Army and the Pakistani nation from each other. The negative propaganda will increase the grief of the nation and bereaved families,” he said.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)