JIT formed to probe online trolling of officials over rigging

The caretaker government has formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to pinpoint and prosecute the culprits involved in the ongoing social media campaign against government officials and Election Commission of Pakistan functionaries.

In this connection, the interior ministry has issued a notification, which said that a JIT has been formed under Section 30 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. It added that an additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be its convener while other members will be from the Inter-Services Intelligence, the Intelligence Bureau, Nadra, and the PTA.

According to the notification, the JIT could also hire IT experts if required to probe the malicious social media campaign.

It further said that it will identify and prosecute individuals behind the social media campaigns against government officials for their alleged role in irregularities on the day of polling. The JIT would also propose steps to counter such campaigns in the future. The JIT will submit its report to the relevant office within 15 days.

Earlier, a high-level committee of the Election Commission of Pakistan has completed probe into allegations of the ex-Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha in general elections 2024.

Sources said the committee’s last meeting will be held in Islamabad during which the report on the ex-commissioner’s election rigging allegations will be finalized. Later, the report will be submitted to the ECP. They added that the statements of RO and DROs of 13 National Assembly constituencies and 26 provincial assembly constituencies of Rawalpindi division will be included in the committee’s report.