Mega scam of anti-state propaganda through govt social media teams during PTI tenure exposed

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - A mega scandal of launching anti-state propaganda has been exposed through the official social media teams during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Sources said that a plan had also been exposed to create a fake image of the PTI chairman. "Social media teams were utilized unchecked to defame and harass opponents. Through the social media teams, fake publicity of the PTI leaders and false propaganda against state institutions were launched at the expense of government resources," they disclosed.

They disclosed that the social media teams were given the task of spreading PTI's negative narrative in the guise of the Annual Development Program (ADP). "The accounts were used to promote PTI's political objectives, campaign for propaganda, disinformation, conspiracy narratives and incite public sentiment. Instability was promoted in the society by the hate speech," they added.

The sources said that a total amount of Rs 870 million was allocated for the project. "The salary of each employee was Rs25,000-40,000 and millions of rupees were spent on these social media teams from the government funds. About 72.5 percent of these employees had no political affiliation towards the PTI before 2021. After June 2022, 86 percent of the accounts changed their political affiliation and started posting PTI narrative on their social media accounts," they disclosed.

They said that these accounts incited the PTI workers and the public to violence and attack military installations on May 9, trying to create hatred between the public and state institutions. "The PTI recruited and used youths to forward the agenda of the party which was against the principles of morality and decency," they added.