ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has summoned Noreen Niazi, sister of incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan, to appear before it on Monday over allegations of disseminating “false, offensive and inflammatory” content against state institutions.

“You have been found to have disseminated false, offensive and inflammatory social media content to defame state institutions and spread fake narratives,” stated an NCCIA notice dated July 18.

The agency directed her to appear at its G-13/3 office in Islamabad on July 20 in connection with an inquiry.

“In case of non-compliance, it will be assumed that you have nothing to present or state in your defence,” the notice further stated, adding that non-compliance was punishable under Section 174 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

While the notice did not specify the content in relation to which Niazi has been summoned, it was issued after a clip of her making claims in relation to last year’s brief military conflict between Pakistan and India was widely shared on social media.

In the clip, she is seen alleging during an interview that the conflict was “orchestrated” to improve the image of Pakistan’s military. She claimed the “drama” was played out in collaboration with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning why Modi would have refrained from further attacking Pakistan otherwise.

In this connection, she went on to allege that the objective was to get Israel recognised by Pakistan, further linking US President Donald Trump’s praise of Pakistan’s leadership with Israel’s recognition as well.

Ministers slam remarks

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, among others, have slammed Imran’s sister for her remarks.

Tarar, while speaking at a gathering in Lahore, condemned Niazi’s statements, describing them as an attempt to boost Imran’s politics.

Tarar said the PTI leadership did not care about the nation, asserting that unlike them, PML-N has always served the people. He stressed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz have worked for the people of Lahore.

The minister further said that PTI’s politics was “drowning”, which is why their leadership was making such statements to malign Pakistan.

He demanded that Niazi apologise to the nation and the martyred soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the country.

Calling it a “new trend”, Tarar condemned statements disrespecting martyrs of the armed forces. He added that such anti-army statements were made for the benefit of Indian media.

In a televised statement on Sunday, Tallal alleged that PTI’s leadership has never openly criticised Israel’s crimes because it was a source of funding for the political party.

Imran’s former wife and the mother of his sons, Jemima Goldsmith, belongs to a wealthy Jewish family, which Tallal alluded to when he said that the PTI founder’s children were being brought up using “Israeli funds”.

He added that PTI has threatened Pakistan’s economy and peace by encouraging civil disobedience and a pause in remittances being sent to the country.

The minister said that Imran’s other sister has made similar statements in the past, accusing the family of having an anti-Pakistan and anti-state agenda.

Tallal further said that legal action had been initiated against Niazi. “No woman or man playing with Pakistan’s stability would be excused,” he asserted.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also condemned Niazi’s comments, affirming that “our armed forces are a sign of Pakistan’s prestige”.

He said Imran’s family had shown their hatred for Pakistan in their statements. “Every citizen of Pakistan condemns such statements,” he said.

The minister further said that Marka-i-Haq — the term used to refer to the Pak-India conflict — resulted in a victory for Pakistan and that even Trump has repeatedly mentioned the downing of planes during the military escalation.

It may be mentioned that the US president has not specified in his remarks which side’s planes were shot down.