Authorities in Punjab have detained 13 individuals as part of a broader crackdown on what officials describe as “anti-state” activity on social media. The action was carried out by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over the past few weeks across multiple cities.
According to an NCCIA spokesperson, the operation was initiated under the direction of Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Waseem, who recently assumed office. The arrested individuals were allegedly involved in running online campaigns critical of state institutions, including the military and government officials. Two suspects were also accused of posting content targeting Gulf countries.
Those detained include several individuals from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan. Authorities have registered separate cases against each suspect under various provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, and claim to have collected digital evidence.
Officials stated that the accused shared content considered harmful to public sentiment and detrimental to governance and state order. The NCCIA emphasized that spreading provocative or misleading material online against state institutions is a punishable offense, and all cases will proceed in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations have raised concerns about the impact of such laws on freedom of expression. In its annual report, Amnesty International noted that recent legal changes in Pakistan have contributed to the detention of journalists, activists, and political opponents.
In a related development, authorities previously arrested another individual in Lahore for similar allegations. Earlier this year, a court also sentenced lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to a combined 17 years in prison for sharing content deemed “anti-state” online.
