The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crimes Wing formed a team to track and arrest the culprits behind the smear campaign against Pakistan’s Army, especially after the recent helicopter crash in Balochistan which resulted in the martyrdom of six officers.
According to the details, the FIA constituted a four-member team and tasked it with pointing out, arresting, and taking legal action against those involved in running a negative social media campaign on the tragic incident of the helicopter crash.
Director General Cybercrime Wing Muhammad Jaffer will head the inquiry team while Director Waqaruddin Syed, Deputy Director Ayaz, and Imran Haider will be its members.
Read more: Six Pak Army officers martyred in Balochistan helicopter crash
Pakistan Army aviation helicopter with military officials aboard, including Commander 12 Corps Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali crashed in Balochistan’s Lasbela district due to bad weather on August 1.
However, following the crash, a section of social media activists and certain political individuals launched a malicious online campaign against the Pakistan Army.
Condemnations for the anti-Army campaign
The smear campaign drew a strong reaction from people belonging to all walks of life, political leadership, and state institutions.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), condemning the “highly unacceptable and regretful social media campaign”, stated it “caused deep anguish and distress among the families of martyrs and rank and file of the armed forces”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep concern over the social media campaign targeting the martyrs of the Pakistan Army helicopter crash.
Read more: Pakistan comes together to pray for missing army officials
Taking to Twitter, the prime minister termed the social media campaign belittling and ridiculing the sacrifices of martyrs “horrifying.”
The social media campaign belittling & ridiculing the sacrifices of our martyrs was horrifying. This is what self-righteous political narratives do: they poison the minds of the youth & weaponise hate speech. Which way are we headed?
The moment calls for a deep reflection.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 7, 2022
“The social media campaign belittling & ridiculing the sacrifices of our martyrs was horrifying,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.
“This is what self-righteous political narratives do: they poison the minds of the youth & weaponize hate speech. Which way are we headed? The moment calls for a deep reflection,” he added.