The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked two fake Twitter handles associated with two retired officers of the Pakistan Army, promoting narrative of a political party.
According to sources, the Twitter accounts of Major General (retd) Faisal Mushtaq and Major General (retd) Asghar turned out to be fake. The accounts are being run by a political party and are involved in promoting a particular narrative. The sources reveal that the accounts give an impression that a particular party is being supported within the army. The PTA has blocked both accounts and legal action is being taken against those running them. Last month, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb had said that amendments would be made in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) laws to curb fake news. The decision was made during a meeting of the information minister with a delegation of the media’s Joint Action Committee (JAC). The forum reached a consensus that fake news damages national security interests and societal cohesion.
