PTI Leader Junaid Akbar Booked by NCCIA Over ‘Somnath’ Remarks

ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered a case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Junaid Akbar over remarks made ahead of the party’s planned September 27 protest in Islamabad.

The case was registered under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad.

According to the first information report, inflammatory material and statements attributed to Junaid Akbar were circulated through social media accounts.

The FIR alleges that the remarks included threats to damage government and public property and were intended to create fear and insecurity.

The case specifically refers to Akbar’s statement that “we will turn Islamabad into Somnath”, which the FIR says threatened public safety and could incite hatred and violence.

Remarks Made Ahead of Islamabad March

Junaid Akbar made the remarks while addressing a gathering in Peshawar ahead of PTI’s planned September 27 march towards Islamabad.

He warned the government against using force against protesters and said PTI workers would not simply return after collecting the bodies of those killed if violence occurred.

He also spoke about approaching Islamabad through multiple routes as part of the planned mobilisation.

Akbar later said his remarks had been given a “wrong spin” and maintained that PTI remained committed to peaceful and constitutional protest.

Khawaja Asif Criticises Junaid Akbar

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also criticised Akbar over the Somnath reference.

Asif said Islamabad represented the federation and was an important symbol of Pakistan, while questioning the implications of such statements amid continuing violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The NCCIA case comes as political tensions remain high ahead of PTI’s planned September 27 protest and amid ongoing contacts between the government and the opposition.