FIA asked to intensify action against hate propagandists on social media

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad capital police Violent Extremism Prevention Unit (VEPU) intensified its crackdown on social media platforms to combat the spread of religious, sectarian, linguistic hatred and propaganda against institutions as well as wheeze political campaign against any specific group, a police spokesman said.

The VEPU has wrote a letter to the federal investigation agency (FIA) to extent obligatory cooperation to counter negative use of social media, the sources said and added the Cybercrime Wing of the FIA has blocked hundreds of accounts marked by the VEPU at initial step.

The VEPU thoroughly monitored the social media and traced 203 accounts of Twitter, Facebook and other platforms spreading religious, terrorism related material and wrote to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) urging the closure of those accounts among which 106 accounts have been blocked.

With an unwavering commitment to curbing extremism without discrimination, the VEPU has taken swift action against individuals promoting hateful ideologies on various social media platforms. The establishment of this pioneering anti-extremism unit within the Islamabad capital police underscores the city’s firm resolve to address the menace of extremism comprehensively. In addition to proactively engaging with educational institutions, seminaries and masjids to counter extremist narratives, the unit diligently monitors social media and websites for political, linguistic, sectarian, and religious extremist content.

This unit is first of its type in Pakistan which was established in Islamabad Capital Police by the IGP Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and was inaugurated by the National Coordinator (NACTA) recently.

IGP Islamabad urged the citizens to refrain from engaging in activities that propagate hatred or spread misinformation about institutions on social media.

“The Islamabad capital police encourage individuals to report any such activities promptly, facilitating the ongoing efforts to maintain peace and protect the life and property of the citizens”, he maintained.