May 9 riots: FIA to probe false social media posts about PID official

Twitter user Asghar shared a picture of Maqbool, claiming he was instigating people to attack Corp Commander House

FIA Cyber Crime Cell Islamabad has accepted an application filed by Press Information Department (PID) Protocol Office Maqbool Ahmed, in which he asserted that a Twitter user, Asghar Baloch — whom he called a PTI worker — falsely accused him of instigating an attack on Corp Commander House in Lahore.

According to Express News, Asghar had shared a picture on Twitter, claiming that Maqbool was instigating people to attack the Corp Commander House.

Posting the picture of Maqbool Ahmed alongside Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah, Baloch claimed: "He is the person who incited violence during the attack on Commander House in Lahore."

Maqbool reported this to FIA Cyber Crime Cell Islamabad, saying that the Twitter user caused harm to his reputation by spreading serious allegations against him.

"The allegations made in the post are completely baseless and intended to harm my reputation," he said.

Read more: Imran under fire for using AI-generated photo to boost narrative

Maqbool urged FIA to take legal action against Baloch.

An investigation into the matter has been initiated.

Earlier this month, Imran Khan, Chairman of PTI, came under fire after he released a video to honour the resolute women engaged in what he described as a struggle for ‘real freedom’.

The video comprises clips and photographs illustrating the clashes that ensued between PTI supporters and the law enforcement forces subsequent to the arrest of the former premier earlier this month in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The way Pakistani women stood up for Haqeeqi Azadi, they will be remembered and become part of our democratic history.

Also what will never be forgotten is the brutality of our security forces and the shameless way they went out of their way to abuse, hurt and humiliate our… pic.twitter.com/Ea1lzBCh1Q

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 19, 2023

Titled "Sinf-e-Ahan", the video culminates with an image portraying a woman boldly confronting the riot police.

However, it has come to light that the image was generated through the employment of an artificial intelligence (AI) software. International media outlets have also conducted investigations, confirming this fabrication.

France 24 reported that the AI-generated photo and two out-of-context videos were used on social media in support of former prime minister.

“An AI-generated photo and two out-of-context videos are being presented as images from Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf nationwide demonstrations in support of former prime minister Imran Khan. Vedika Bahl takes a closer look at the misinformation that's circulating, in this edition of Truth or Fake,” France 24 captioned the fact-check video with.