Islamabad, June 1, 2024 – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned prominent PTI leaders Barrister Gohar, Omar Ayub, and party spokesperson Raoof Hasan in connection with the alleged misuse of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s X account. The summons come after a controversial post from Khan’s verified account disseminated incendiary content against state institutions, it emerged on Saturday.
The controversy began on May 26, when Imran’s official account shared a video and a quote attributed to him: “Every Pakistani should study the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.” The video suggested that former military dictator General Yahya Khan was responsible for the breakup of Pakistan, highlighting alleged atrocities by the Pakistani military during the civil war. The video also included images of current civilian and military leaders, accusing them of stealing PTI’s mandate in the general elections.
The post generated significant backlash, particularly from government officials, prompting the FIA’s Cyber Wing to launch an investigation. Initially, PTI distanced itself from the post but later “owned” it, reiterating their call for public scrutiny of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission report and urging the military to adhere to its constitutional limits.
In response to the post, the FIA issued notices on Friday to Gohar, Ayub, and Hasan, stating that an inquiry was underway regarding the “misuse” of Imran’s verified X account. The agency claimed that the post contained “highly obnoxious and inciting content against state institutions,” which could incite public unrest or offences against the state.
The notices directed the PTI leaders to appear before FIA Sub-Inspector Muhammad Monib Zafar at the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on Wednesday to record their statements. The notification warned that failure to appear would result in proceedings under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code for non-attendance in obedience to a public servant’s order.
In a statement following a core committee meeting, PTI accused the FIA of attempting to fabricate another case against Imran Khan. An FIA team visited Adiala Jail to question Imran about the post, but sources indicated that he refused to meet the investigators without his lawyer present.
In an interview on Geo News’ ‘Naya Pakistan’, Raoof Hasan confirmed that the summoned leaders would comply with the FIA’s summons. Hasan defended the content of the video, asserting that it comprised extracts from the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report and did not target any institution directly. He emphasized that PTI’s intention was to draw historical parallels and advocate for transparency regarding past commission reports, which he argued was the public’s right.
Hasan acknowledged that Imran Khan, being in prison, could not personally manage his X account and might have provided conceptual input without seeing the final content. He reiterated PTI’s stance that their post did not intend to defame any institution but to highlight historical truths.
As the PTI leaders prepare to face the FIA, the political tensions surrounding the issue continue to escalate, spotlighting the ongoing friction between PTI and state institutions.