Ex-PM Imran Khan Grilled by Pakistan's FIA Over Controversial Posts

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan faced questioning on Saturday by a probe team regarding a contentious social media post allegedly targeting key state institution heads. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had filed a case against Khan on Friday, accusing him of inciting rebellion against the government and state institutions through posts on social media platform X.

The FIA’s Cybercrime Wing initiated an investigation, with Deputy Director Ayaz Khan leading the probe team. They interrogated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder for about 45 minutes at Adiala Jail. The team, comprising investigators and technical experts, inquired about the nature of the post and who managed his social media account.

Investigation Details

The FIA team plans to revisit to continue their investigation and ascertain who is responsible for managing Khan’s social media accounts and issuing directives for such posts. Information Minister Atta Tarar commented on the new case, stating that the FIA is probing the misuse of social media by the PTI founder to create chaos and threaten national security.

Khan, 71, had previously stated that he would only cooperate with the investigation if his legal team was present and had initially refused to meet with the FIA probe team. This stance highlights his insistence on legal representation during such inquiries.

Political Reactions

During a National Assembly session earlier in the day, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari criticised Khan for allegedly insulting institutions by accusing the Chief Justice in his X post and also implicating the Army chief in political activities. Bhutto Zardari emphasised that if Khan did not issue this statement himself, it should be disclosed who used his X account.

"If this statement was not issued by Khan himself, then it should be revealed who used his X account," Bhutto Zardari said during his address.

The ongoing investigation into Khan’s social media activities underscores the tension between political figures and state institutions in Pakistan. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for both Khan and the broader political landscape in the country.