The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued a warning on Sunday to overseas Pakistanis accused of committing crimes on social media that their names could be added to the Exit Control List (ECL) and red alerts issued by Interpol to arrest them.
According to a press release issued by the FIA: “All the Pakistani expatriates are advised to desist from spreading chaos in Pakistan. Their social media posts must not be offensive and seditious. They must read the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 to make sure that their social media posts do not constitute any offence.”
It further said: “If they commit any offence, the red notices through Interpol can be issued to arrest them and their names can be put on the Exit Control List (ECL).”
It advised: “They need to avoid committing any offence on social media, and the advisory is only for offenders. Any attempts by anyone, staying anywhere in the world to create disturbance in Pakistan or to defame dignity of a natural person or to act against modesty of a natural person through fake news or fake videos, are against the laws of Pakistan. Such attempts are punishable under Pakistani laws. The offenders will be prosecuted in Pakistan whenever possible. Hence, anyone must avoid committing any such offences through any media platform.”
In terms of state institutions, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement following the 79th Formation Commanders’ Conference on April 12 that stated: “The forum took note of the recent propaganda by some quarters to malign the Pakistan Army and create division between the institution and society. The national security of Pakistan is sacrosanct and the Pakistan Army has always stood by the state institutions to guard it and always will do same, without any compromise.”
