The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the removal of Lieutenant General Munir Afsar as the current chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), citing his appointment as “unauthorised” and in violation of Nadra’s rules. Lt Gen Afsar made history in October 2023 as the first serving military officer to be appointed as Nadra’s chairman, initially by the caretaker government and later confirmed by the elected federal government for a three-year term in March 2024. The appointment was challenged by citizen Ashba Kamran, asserting it was against the Nadra Ordinance and lacked a fair and competitive process. Justice…

Man Discharged in Case of Fuelling UK Riots Through Disinformation A Lahore court discharged a man accused of spreading disinformation leading to anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant riots in the UK. Following widespread riots in the UK after the fatal stabbing of three young girls, law enforcement agencies traced the disinformation to a website with links to Pakistan. The website, Channel3Now, falsely claimed the suspect was a Muslim immigrant. Farhan Asif, the suspected originator of the false news story, was taken into custody and investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency’s cybercrime wing. Asif’s physical remand was extended for four days under the…

A Lahore district court extended the physical remand of a man for his alleged role in inciting recent riots in the UK through disinformation. The suspect, Farhan Asif, was taken into custody by Lahore police and later handed over to the FIA cybercrime wing. He was suspected of uploading a misleading news article on Channel3Now’s website, leading to the spread of false information. The FIA requested an extension of his remand for further investigation into his online activities. The court granted the extension, allowing time for evidence retrieval and analysis of his posts. The disinformation, which linked a stabbing incident…

A Lahore district court has granted anchorperson Orya Maqbool Jan a four-day physical remand to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for his social media posts related to the Mubarak Sani case. Jan was arrested by the FIA’s cybercrime wing and detained in Lahore. The FIA requested a 14-day remand, but Jan’s lawyer argued against it, stating there was no evidence to support the claims. Despite the FIA’s insistence on concrete evidence, Jan maintained his innocence, submitting all his social media account passwords. The court approved a four-day remand and ordered an investigation report submission. The case stems from the Supreme…

Anchorperson Orya Maqbool Jan Arrested by FIA Renowned anchorperson Orya Maqbool Jan was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore for his social media posts regarding the Mubarak Sani case, his lawyer confirmed. Jan was detained in the FIA’s cybercrime wing office in Gulberg and is set to appear before a judicial magistrate today. His lawyer, Advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq, expressed confidence in presenting strong arguments against the charges, questioning the FIA’s authority in this matter. Supreme Court to Review Mubarak Sani Case The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea filed by the Punjab government challenging…

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a Lahore resident for spreading fake information that incited recent riots in the UK. The disinformation claimed the suspect in a fatal stabbing was a Muslim immigrant, originating from a Pakistani website. ITV News identified a Pakistani individual as the source of the false story. Lahore DIG Faisal Kamran stated they are investigating the claims. The suspect, Farhan Asif, admitted to providing misleading information to the BBC. The raid team seized his laptops and phone, finding an active Twitter account linked to the disinformation. Asif confessed to running the ‘Channel3Nownews’ account for news sharing…

The recent riots across the UK were allegedly incited by fake information shared by a Lahore resident, leading to their arrest by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Law enforcement agencies began investigating claims that the disinformation originated from a Pakistani website called Channel3Now. The false news story spread by this platform falsely accused a British-born 17-year-old suspect of being a Muslim immigrant arriving on a boat. The FIA arrested Farhan Asif, a resident of Lahore, for allegedly sharing this misinformation and diverting blame to others in attempts to mislead news outlets. A raid at Asif’s residence resulted in the seizure…

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned federal government representatives and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on August 21 to address countrywide internet disruptions. Users have reported difficulties accessing major online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. The government recently confirmed upgrades to its “web management system” to enhance cyber security. Advocate Muhammad Nadeem filed a petition asking the court to declare internet shutdowns unconstitutional. Justice Shakil Ahmad criticized the state counsel’s lack of knowledge during the hearing and issued a reserved verdict summoning representatives from the government, Ministry of Information, and PTA for the next hearing. The petition argues that…

The Lahore High Court Grills State Counsel Over Internet Disruptions Recently, the Lahore High Court’s Justice Shakil Ahmad expressed dissatisfaction with the state counsel’s lack of “knowledge” and “seriousness” regarding the recent internet disruptions in Pakistan. Major online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been experiencing difficulties, prompting speculation about a ‘firewall’ installation. The Minister of State for IT confirmed that the government is upgrading its web management system to address cyber security threats, following reports of internet disruptions. The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) warned of potential economic losses up to $300 million due to these disruptions. A petition…

Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, has filed a petition against an anti-terrorist court’s decision to grant him a 10-day physical remand for investigation into his alleged involvement in violence on May 9. This violence occurred during protests after Imran was taken into custody by paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case. In response, Imran has challenged the legality of the remand and requested to be transferred to judicial custody. The petition argues that the remand order was passed without following established legal principles and that Imran’s arrest is unjustifiable as he is only accused of abetment and conspiracy. Furthermore, Imran…