ISLAMABAD: 17 social media accounts, allegedly operating using armed forces’ name had been blocked in Pakistan. This included 10 Facebook and seven Twitter accounts respectively.

The crackdown comes amidst the reports that the Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor had forwarded a list of 250 social media accounts, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for taking them down. These accounts were believed to be using the names of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy.

According to the list available with Digital Rights Monitor, 250 social media accounts included 45 Twitter accounts, 94 Facebook accounts and unidentified number of Instagram and YouTube accounts.

Geo News reported that the FIA had notified the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, PTA, about these accounts and urged it to take action against them.

Meanwhile, talking to DRM, ISPR and FIA categorically denied having prepared and initiated action against social media accounts. An ISPR official was unhappy when we asked if they would initiate any action to take down all such accounts, “You are now twisting your story,” he replied

FIA’s Director Cybercrime Captain Sohaib when contacted showed ignorance about any such action and said that the ISPR has also contacted FIA over the issue.

Originally published on Digital Rights Monitor