FIA to probe into Imran’s ‘propaganda’ post on X

PTI founding chairman refuses to answer agency’s queries

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing has decided to launch a probe against PTI founding chairman Imran Khan for his controversial post on social media platform X about former Bangladesh president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The post read: “Every Pakistani should study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”

A video shared with the text argued that the former military ruler was responsible for the country splitting into two, referring to the alleged atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the civil war. It also included images of the current civilian and military leadership, alleging that they stole the PTI’s mandate in the general elections.

The post generated intense blowback and controversy, particularly from government ranks, which termed it “alarming” and accused the PTI of “continuously fueling the narrative of hatred and incitement” by comparing Imran to Mujib.
FIA sources said on May 26, Imran’s official X account was used to share the propaganda video.

They added that the PTI founding chairman was in Adiala Jail, but his account was being used to upload propaganda videos.

The sources said the FIA's cyber wing would speak to four PTI leaders on the issue -- Imran, Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, and Secretary General Omar Ayub.

The FIA team would determine whether Imran had shared the post himself or with his consent.

It would also investigate who created the anti-Pakistan propaganda video.

The sources said if the post was shared by the account holder, legal action would be taken against him. In case the account holder did not share it, then he would have to apply for the closure of his X account.

The FIA Cyber Crime Wing team reached Adiala Jail to question Imran in connection with the post. However, the PTI founding chairman refused to meet it. He also declined to be a part of the investigation. Imran said he would only respond to the FIA’s queries in the presence of his lawyers. The FIA team wrote down that the PTI founding chairman had refused to cooperate in the investigation.

Read Imran was aware of cipher's sensitivity, FIA tells IHC

In an interview on Express News's programme "Centre Stage" on Thursday, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan said the current situation in the country bore no resemblance to the events of 1971 and his party’s founding chairman was not Mujib. He added that the PTI's stance on the matter was “purely political”.

(With input from our correspondent in Rawalpindi)