Following the rally in Islamabad, a task force was established to investigate anti-state campaigns.
A 10-person Joint Task Force (JTF) was approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday with the goal of identifying and arresting those who disseminate false information and incite unrest in the wake of the recent protests in Islamabad.
After a series of violent protests staged by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in November 2024, which resulted in skirmishes between PTI supporters and security forces and caused serious economic damage, this task force was formed.
In addition to important representatives from Pakistan’s leading law enforcement and intelligence organizations, the JTF will be led by the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Members of the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) are among them.
In order to concentrate on online disinformation tactics, the task force is also anticipated to collaborate closely with the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and IT.
According to PM Sharif, such attacks on the state would not be tolerated, he said during a meeting with senior government and security officials.
He emphasized that the task force’s primary objective would be to track down and prosecute individuals responsible for these operations.
He also stated that the task team will look into factors that are promoting this misinformation both domestically and internationally, including potential foreign players who could be attempting to topple Pakistan’s political system.
The purpose of the task force and its operations
Finding the people, groups, and networks responsible for the disinformation campaign will be the direct mission of the Joint Task Force. The precise tasks assigned to the task force are:
Finding false propaganda: The JTF will concentrate on identifying the people who disseminate false information regarding political instability in Islamabad, especially during the period of November 24–27, 2024.
Identifying domestic and foreign actors: In addition to focusing on local people and organizations, the task force will investigate foreign involvement, particularly in cases where anti-state propaganda has been promoted through worldwide media platforms.
Take legal action against nefarious campaigns: In accordance with Pakistan’s anti-terrorism and cybercrime regulations, the JTF would suggest legal actions to prosecute anyone who disseminates misleading material once it has been discovered. To make sure that future attempts to destabilize the nation are deterred, it is anticipated that strong measures will be taken against the campaign’s architects.
suggestions for policy: The task force will also be in charge of making suggestions for changes to the law that might fill in the current loopholes in the response to digital propaganda and disinformation. The government is eager to make sure that Pakistan’s laws are prepared to handle the difficulties of the digital era since there is still a threat to national security from online disinformation.
The task force has 10 days to produce its report, which should include a summary of its conclusions and recommendations for any necessary legal action.
Protests in Islamabad’s political and economic repercussions
Protesters and law enforcement clashed violently during the November protests, which were organized by the PTI and led by political leaders such as Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. This was especially true on November 25–26, 2024.
Police officers were among the many people hurt in the violence, which also left the federal capital in ruins.
As he addressed the matter, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the dire economic consequences of such demonstrations. He pointed out that previous protests, especially those in 2014, have raised Pakistan’s economic problems by costing the nation more than Rs 900 billion every day.
The premier’s comments were a part of his larger denunciation of the PTI, which he claimed was the cause of the disarray in Islamabad and the threat to the nation’s economic stability.
Sharif accused the PTI of purposefully destabilizing Pakistan for political purposes, calling them a “group of sabotage” rather than a genuine party. He was extremely concerned about the protests’ negative effects on the capital’s infrastructure and the nation’s reputation abroad.
While acknowledging the indicators of economic recovery, the prime minister also cited the ongoing political turmoil. The stock market has just achieved a major milestone, he said, and inflation was gradually declining. But Sharif issued a warning, saying that Pakistan’s enemies, both foreign and domestic, would keep taking advantage of any vulnerability, and I