PTI chairman Gohar and social media controller Jibran apparently clueless about account posts

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and social media controller, Jibran Ilyas, are apparently unaware of a controversial 1971 war video posted on their social media accounts, according to details and internal communications disclosed by party sources.

Party sources have also revealed that Jibran Ilyas, authorised by PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan, has been questioning party leaders, potentially challenging the current leadership, Express News reported.

Jibran established a WhatsApp group titled "Jibran and PTI Top Leadership," which includes prominent PTI figures such as Ali Hasnain Malik, Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Raoof Hasan, and Salman Raza.

On June 3, Jibran sent instructions in the WhatsApp group regarding the FIA's investigations into party leaders, saying, “If you have any questions regarding the investigation, you can ask here. I will happily provide answers, but do not make assumptions. For instance, I do not have any account belonging to the PTI founder, and social media is not being operated from abroad. We have a substantial presence across the country, but it’s not a good idea to disclose the whereabouts of our workers.”

The FIA Cyber Crime department had earlier conducted a two-hour investigation with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and a four-hour session with Information Secretary Raoof Hasan regarding a controversial video related to the 1971 war, which was posted on PTI’s social media accounts.

On June 5, 2024, Barrister Gohar publicly distanced himself from the controversial video, stating that he did not support its upload.

In his statement to the FIA, he confirmed that "Jibran Ilyas and Azhar Mashwani are operating PTI's social media accounts from abroad." Following this, Jibran Ilyas shared screenshots from a TV channel with Barrister Gohar, showing his statement about Jibran and Azhar running the social media accounts from outside the country.

In response, Barrister Gohar clarified to Jibran, saying, "Jibran, I had a 30-minute conversation with you, explained everything, and also sent you the screenshots."

When Jibran sent the screenshot again, asking for clarification, Barrister Gohar responded, “Jibran, I’m telling you that I didn’t mention anyone’s name as the handler of the post, and in reality, I don’t know.”

Barrister Gohar also urged Jibran Ilyas to avoid involving him in the controversial 1971 video case.

Gohar clarified that if his statement (which could potentially mention Jibran) came to light, he would inform Jibran directly, but otherwise, he asked not to be involved in the matter. Gohar further explained, "Some sources say I mentioned your name, while others claim Raoof did. Please understand the issue. I called you and spoke for 30 minutes to answer any of your questions. If you still have any, feel free to call again."

In response, Jibran Ilyas requested a public denial, saying, "Please openly deny this."

Regarding a screenshot shared by Jibran, he clarified, "The text is not mine; someone else wrote these Urdu words and sent them to me, which I forwarded. I trust you, but I ask you to openly deny it."

Gohar reiterated that when the FIA addresses the issue, he will deny any involvement, stating, "When I came out, I said that the matter is sub judice, and the High Court has instructed us to appear, so I don’t want to get into the details of the questions."