• Talal Chaudhry claims terrorists using social media to manipulate public opinion
• Alleges PTI-linked accounts creating ‘anti-state trends’
• Warns citizens against becoming part of ‘paid trends’
ISLAMABAD: As he targeted the opposition for alleged social media campaigns, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Monday claimed that Pakistan had uncovered extensive evidence of coordinated and paid online campaigns being run through fake accounts operated largely from abroad.
According to the state-run APP, the minister said the government recently provided foreign media with background information on how terrorists and organised networks were exploiting social media platforms to manipulate public opinion in Pakistan.
The minister explained that investigations revealed how artificial trends were created and sold through WhatsApp groups and other platforms.
He said individuals were paid small amounts ranging from a few rupees to cents per post to repeatedly tweet or forward messages, sometimes hundreds of times a day. Many of these accounts, he said, originate outside Pakistan and are operated by companies using fake identities. He added that account names are frequently changed depending on the campaign being promoted, making it harder to trace their origins.
The state minister claimed the same networks had been found promoting content linked to terrorist organisations, as well as ‘unrelated international causes’, demonstrating that the activity was commercial rather than ideological. These trends are not organic or natural, he added.
Mr Chaudhry clarified that the evidence shared was gathered directly from the same social media platforms being misused, including details of temporary WhatsApp groups formed to run trends and then deleted to avoid detection. He said social media companies’ own community guidelines were being violated, leading to account closures and further action by the platforms.
While emphasising that the government did not want ordinary citizens to face criminal cases, the minister issued a clear warning, saying that if people knowingly became part of paid trends that were against the country, they could face legal consequences.
Freedom of expression is not without responsibility, he said, claiming that no one had the right to hurt religious sentiments, target friendly countries, or malign individuals and institutions under the guise of free speech.
Responding to questions, Mr Chaudhry stated that most accounts involved were fake and that privacy laws limited access to IP addresses and ownership details, although Pakistan was engaging with platforms and foreign governments to address the issue. He reiterated Pakistan’s firm condemnation of terrorism in all forms, anywhere in the world, noting that the country has long been on the front line in the global fight against terrorism.
The press conference, he said, was aimed at dispelling the notion that controversial online narratives reflected genuine public opinion. This is not popularity.
This is a money-driven mechanism operated through fake accounts across the world, Mr Chaudhry said, adding that Pakistan would continue to work with international partners to curb such activities.
