A case has been lodged against the former prime minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan for allegedly inciting rebellion against the government and state institutions through posts made on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an investigation into the controversial posts. According to sources, the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing is leading the investigation and a four-member team has been assigned to probe the allegations.
The team visited Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder is currently held, to conduct questioning. However, Imran Khan reportedly declined to cooperate, citing the need for legal consultation before engaging with investigators.
The investigation centers around posts that are alleged to have promoted sedition and rebellion against state institutions. Sources indicate that the federal agency is also looking into potential accomplices who may have been involved in the dissemination of these messages.
The four-member investigation team is expected to return to Adiala Jail for further questioning in the coming days. Authorities are keen to uncover the extent of involvement and any coordination behind the posts, which they claim posed a threat to national stability.
Imran Khan’s controversial 1971 social media post
Previously in May this year, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Wing had initiated an inquiry into a controversial social media post from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The post, made on May 26 from the former Prime Minister’s official account on platform X (formerly Twitter), addressed the 1971 civil war and the findings of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report.
Sources within the FIA revealed that the social media team managing Imran Khan’s account, due to his current incarceration in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, shared a video accompanied by a provocative quote: “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 purportedly aimed to shift the blame for the 1971 breakup of Pakistan onto General Yahya Khan, alleging severe misconduct by the Pakistani military during the conflict.
The contentious video also included imagery of current civilian and military leaders, insinuating their involvement in undermining the PTI’s mandate in recent general elections.
FIA sources disclosed that the agency plans to interrogate four senior PTI leaders regarding the incident.
The post has been labelled by some officials as containing fabricated and propagandistic content, attributed in part to the ongoing political turbulence in the country.
PTI chief Gohar disavows X post
On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan responded to the post on X, stating that it was not intended to target the military and should be understood in a “political context.”
“The context and comparison we drew with 1971 was purely political and not aimed at the army,” said PTI leader and MNA Barrister Gohar Ali Khan unequivocally.
