LAHORE: Days after social media was abuzz with former prime minister Imran Khan’s health, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Monday a crackdown on those involved in fake news, declaring that the government would repatriate from the United Kingdom those (YouTubers) involved in this activity or targeting the state institutions.

“The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the information ministry will jointly initiate action on a massive scale against those spreading fake news. The state will no longer allow individuals to declare a living person dead, a dead person alive (a reference to fake news about the health of Imran Khan), or make any allegation they please without evidence. Since the past few days, 90 per cent news on social media was fake,” Naqvi told a press conference here.

The NCCIA, which was formed in May last after dissolution of the Federal Investigation Agency’s cyber crime wing, recently launched a purge of a good number of its officials allegedly involved in corrupt practices—receiving hefty amounts from call centres, suspected YouTubers and other suspects.

Naqvi singled out some so-called social media journalists for spreading fake news. “Mainstream journalists are a part of a strong editorial system unlike those on social media who spread fake news. We will not allow anyone to create panic in the garb of journalism on social media. Those who spread fake news are not journalists for us. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) takes action on incorrect reporting in the mainstream media but social media lacks accountability mechanisms,” he explained and added that a regulatory body for online content was being established.

Hints at fake news regarding Imran’s health, new regulatory body for online content, social media; clarifies delay in posting of CDF; lambastes KP govt for going soft on Afghan refugees

When asked about criticism directed towards Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir, Naqvi said: “The state is clear. We will not spare them. The other day someone was saying in London that there was a dispute within the institutions. This will have to stop. Those sitting out there (UK) will be brought back soon.”

Naqvi also criticised Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for choosing Indian media by his (Khan) sisters to discuss Imran’s health.

“Political campaigns being run from India have exposed how far some people are willing to go,” he said, warning that the country’s integrity was a red line, which would not be allowed to be crossed.

Replying to a question about the delay in the issuance of the notification for the appointment of the chief of defence forces (CDF), Naqvi said: “A new institution is being established after an amendment to the Constitution. They want things to happen at the press of a button but things don’t work that way. A system has to be established, and it takes days. It’s not that you press a button and it will become a part of the Constitution”.

About repatriation of illegal Afghan nationals, the interior minister said the authorities were facing difficulties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with regard to sending Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.

“This is not the case in the three other provinces. Afghan migrants are being protected in the KP. The federal government had denotified camps of Afghan refugees, but several of them are still operational in KP,” he alleged. He warned the Afghans who had been repatriated that they would be arrested if they tried to return.

“The station house officers (SHOs) have been tasked to identify and locate illegal Afghans in their respective areas so that they could be sent back to Afghanistan. Instructions have also been issued to inspectors general for the collection of data via SHOs,” he said and added that the terrorists who attacked Federal Constabulary headquarters some days ago in Peshawar were Afghan nationals.

In a direct reference to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Mohsin Naqvi said: “It is not possible that a provincial government does not follow the Centre’s policy on terrorism. Our message to the KP government is also that it is important at this time to prioritise your country over politics. The KP government will have to ensure the implementation of the federal government’s decision as we cannot afford any more bomb blasts”.

To the question whether the Centre was mulling going to the court against the KP government over the alleged non-cooperation on the matter of Afghans, he said multiple options were being worked on. “When it comes to national security, it cannot happen that a province makes its own policy. We will not allow this.”

On the issue of stopping passengers by the FIA from travelling abroad despite having valid documents, Naqvi said just 50-70 people were being offloaded daily across the country.

“I have asked the FIA to share this data to negate the agent mafia’s propaganda on social media. There might be some negligence on part of the FIA but travellers having all necessary documents are not being barred from travelling abroad. However, action against the travellers with insufficient documents is necessary as the government is trying to improve the ranking of Pakistani passports,” he added.

The FIA has been under fire for the last few weeks for stopping a good number of people, including work-visa holders, students and pilgrims despite having valid travel documents. In several cases, the travellers denied boarding by the FIA alleged that the officials at immigration demanded money to allow them leave for their destination.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025