Arrests likely following malicious anti-military hate campaign inquiry

Investigators conducting round-the-clock probe to bring characters of social media campaign to its logical conclusion

ISLAMABAD:

The authorities were preparing to make arrests of the characters involved in the malicious campaign against the martyrs of Lasbela helicopter crash, and their instigators, as the investigation by a six-member team continued, sources said on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the investigation agencies were conducting round-the-clock probe to bring the characters of this hate-campaign to its logical conclusion. They added that startling disclosures had been made in the ongoing investigation.

The government ordered an investigation after 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.

Read more: Hate campaign against military echoes in NA

Six army officers, including Quetta Corps Commander Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali, embraced martyrdom in the air accident in Balochistan, who were on a mission to provide relief to the flood-stricken people of the province.

Last week, the government extended the scope of a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigation into the negative propaganda against the martyrs by including one officer each from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) into the joint inquiry team (JIT).

The Interior Ministry issued a notification on August 8, stating that the JIT would also include Lt-Col Saad of the ISI and IB Deputy Director, Waqar Nisar. The other members of the JIT are FIA Director Waqaruddin Syed, Additional Director Ayaz Khan and Assistant Director Imran Haider.

Also read: Army condemns 'hurtful' campaign

The six-member joint inquiry team is tasked with finding out those who hurt the reputation of the country and its institutions by running such trends against the institutions and the judiciary in the past, including those who ran negative campaigns about helicopters and martyrs on social media.

The sources said that the investigations had revealed that workers of a major political party were involved in this campaign on social media. Some Indian accounts were also involved in this campaign of the political party.