Social media monitoring: Committee set up in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

After the shutdown of X (formerly Twitter) in Pakistan, the government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir has also set up a government-level monitoring committee to monitor social media platforms.

The government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir has set up social media monitoring committees to take action against defamation, intimidation and blackmailing of public figures, serving government officials and retired officers on social media platforms by journalists, lawyers and civil society. has called it an attack on freedom of expression.

According to the notification regarding the establishment of monitoring committees by the Home Department of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the Government under criminal cases against persons defaming, threatening and blackmailing public figures, government servicemen and retired officers on social media. will be empowered to take legal action.

The government notification was allegedly kept under wraps until now, but after it surfaced, Independent Urdu contacted Director Public Relations Department Shahid Khokhar, who confirmed the authenticity of the notification.

After the notification surfaced on social media platforms, a new debate started in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on whether the government has the power to block or monitor any social media platform.

Speaking to Independent Urdu, Raja Amjad Ali Khan, a senior jurist from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Advocate Supreme Court, said that the government has not decided to form committees to identify any new crimes in this notification. What did

He said: ‘There is a cyber crime act in Kashmir. Based on this act, these committees have been formed and if the committees do their work, they can give their recommendations only in the context of the cyber crime act.

Legally, action against any person is carried out according to the provisions of the law, however, the government has now established a separate setup for social media monitoring, whose job is to monitor social media. will.’

Raja Amjad Ali Khan Advocate further said that the SHO of the police station has the authority to file an FIR under the Cybercrime Act regarding the relevant content uploaded on social media.

“But the government’s creation of a whole official setup on this issue is an act after which it can be said that the state has no other function except to monitor the criticism against it and Take action on it.’

In response to a question, he said that ‘there is nothing to be seen but to put pressure on the growing public awareness and resistance against corruption and looting of state resources in Pakistan-administered Kashmir through monitoring committees.

Zulfiqar Ali, a journalist from Muzaffarabad, took the position that under the guise of this notification, the government wants to target journalists.

This government is afraid of criticism. The government is not giving the right of access to information to the people, but this law is being resorted to to avoid the criticism of journalists and people of different schools of thought about government officials and the ruling elite.

Journalist Khawaja Kashif Mir accused the Prime Minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Anwar-ul-Haq, of imposing restrictions on media persons and media houses as soon as he came to power. Those who give full coverage to the protests are threatened with cases and arrested and this notification also aims to suppress freedom of opinion.’

Journalist and former President of the Central Journalism Council of Muzaffarabad, Sajjad Qayyum Mir believed that the people involved in the monitoring committees have no idea of ​​social media monitoring or the use of social media, nor do they have any expertise in this field.

Raja Aftab, president of Kashmir Civil Society of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, hailed the establishment of these committees to the extent that measures are being taken to discourage national security, religious hatred and seditious elements on social media. .