March 18, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A Rawalpindi court has granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a three-day physical remand of Haider Saeed, a social media activist affiliated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Saeed was arrested for his alleged involvement in running anti-state propaganda on social media following the recent terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express.
Haider Saeed is among six PTI social media activists who the party claims have fallen victim to enforced disappearances. Saeed went missing from his residence in Islamabad on March 15, sparking concerns about his whereabouts.
FIA’s allegations and investigation
The FIA informed the court that Saeed was not only running a campaign against state institutions but also shared inflammatory content in favor of terrorists during the Jaffar Express operation. The agency seized his social media accounts and digital evidence, launching a formal investigation. While the FIA requested an eight-day remand for further investigation, the court granted a three-day physical remand.
In an earlier statement, the FIA accused Saeed of supporting and promoting banned terrorist organizations on social media. According to the agency, Saeed was running a toxic campaign against state institutions and repeatedly shared inflammatory statements and material in favor of terrorists.
The FIA spokesperson confirmed that the suspect’s social media accounts and digital evidence have been seized, and investigations are underway. Strict legal action will be taken against Saeed in accordance with the law.
This arrest is part of the FIA’s ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime and the promotion of terrorism. The agency aims to maintain peace and security in society by curbing negative propaganda against state institutions. The FIA spokesperson urged the public to report any suspicious activities promptly to help authorities take effective action against anti-state elements.
PTI accuses govt of crackdown
Meanwhile, PTI has accused the federal government of launching a crackdown on its social media activists to silence dissent. In statements on its official social media handles, PTI claimed that several of its members have been targeted.
On Tuesday, PTI announced that Abdul Hanan, a member of its social media team, was reportedly taken from his residence in Lahore’s Green Town area. Other PTI social media activists, including Farhan Chishti, Usman Mehmood, and Qadeer Amjad from Lahore, as well as Saad Tariq from Kot Addu tehsil in Muzaffargarh, have also allegedly been targeted. “Farhan Chishti, Saad Tariq, Qadeer Amjad, Usman Mahmood, and Haider Saeed are peaceful, law-abiding, educated citizens whose only “crime” is expressing their political views,” the PTI said on its official handle on X on March 17.
As of now, there has been no official word from the government or law enforcement agencies regarding the whereabouts of the missing activists.