ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said it was necessary to inform the nation about what he described as key facts regarding an alleged India-linked digital disinformation network targeting Pakistan.
Speaking at a press conference, Tarar said security agencies had arrested an individual some time ago who was providing digital marketing services. He claimed the services were linked to India and that payments for promoting anti-Pakistan content on social media were being made from across the border.
He said investigators had obtained crucial information from the suspect, alleging that an extensive network of bot farms was being used to spread misinformation against Pakistan, its territorial integrity, the government, the armed forces, the army chief, and other state institutions.
According to the minister, the arrested individual disclosed during interrogation that much of the material he received was related to the Joint Action Committee in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Tarar reiterated the government’s longstanding position that the Joint Action Committee was attempting to undermine the Kashmir cause and weaken Kashmir’s ties with Pakistan. He claimed the group had no genuine connection with the interests of the Kashmiri people and challenged its members to contest elections if they were sincere about their cause.
He further alleged that the group resorted to violent protests in which Kashmiri police personnel were killed, promoted violence, and attempted to disrupt law and order.
The information minister claimed the government possessed “irrefutable evidence” linking these elements to India. He alleged that the movement was driven by weapons and violence rather than the interests of Kashmir or its people, and was aimed at harming Kashmiris and weakening their relationship with Pakistan.
Tarar said the people of Kashmir had rejected the politics of violence and demonstrated that the bond between Pakistan and Kashmir could neither be broken nor weakened.
He also alleged that anti-state campaigns were carried out through digital marketing on social media, with funding originating from India. According to Tarar, those involved received financial support from what he described as Pakistan’s adversary to run hate-based disinformation campaigns against Pakistan, its armed forces, and the country’s leadership.
The minister claimed there was evidence of Indian funding for what he called the activities of the “proscribed” Joint Action Committee. He further alleged that multiple social media platforms were used to spread anti-Pakistan propaganda and that artificial intelligence was employed to circulate old videos falsely portraying them as recent incidents from Kashmir.
Tarar said the investigation into the arrested individual was ongoing and added that countering misinformation was the government’s responsibility.
He concluded by saying that the world had acknowledged Pakistan’s success against India, not only on the military front but also in diplomacy. He added that Pakistan remained committed to peace and credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir with enhancing the country’s international standing through their efforts.
