Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that investigators had uncovered an India-linked digital propaganda network aimed at spreading misinformation and anti-government content in Pakistan, a social media campaign related to the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was funded from across the border.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said security agencies had recently arrested a digital marketing service provider whose activities had links to India.
He revealed that investigators found that payments to promote and amplify content on social media in Pakistan were made through payment gateways originating in India.
“During the investigation, it emerged that an entire disinformation network was operating through bot farms,” Tarar said, adding that the network was used to spread “anti-state content” targeting Pakistan, its institutions, the government, the armed forces and the army chief.
According to the minister, the investigators traced much of the promoted content to campaigns around the JAC in AJK.
“We had said from day one that this JAC wanted to weaken Kashmir-Pakistan relations,” Tarar said, adding that the move was part of a wider conspiracy rather than a campaign for Kashmiri rights.
Read: AJK suspends 20 education staff over JAAC protest
He also questioned why the group had not participated in the democratic process if it truly represented public interests.
Referring to past protests in Azad Kashmir, Tarar accused the committee of inciting violence, creating law and order problems and taking the law into its own hands by blocking roads and organizing armed demonstrations.
The minister stated that authorities now had “irrefutable evidence” linking the campaign to India.
“There should no longer be any doubt that its links lead to India and we now have indisputable evidence,” he said.
Tarar said social media campaigns supporting the JAC were funded from India, revealing technical investigations that had tracked the payments.
“All payments for the Joint Action Committee’s social media content came from India and this has been established through technical data,” he said.
He further stated that investigators had found WhatsApp conversations between the arrested suspect and an Indian operator discussing payments, targeted viewership and account information.
According to Tarar, payments were transferred in small amounts to avoid detection by financial surveillance systems.
He also revealed that forensic investigators had traced the origin of several online accounts to India despite the use of virtual private networks (VPNs).
“When a VPN masks a user’s location, the device itself can still be identified during forensic analysis. That’s how these India-based accounts were discovered,” he said.
Tarar said the government was also investigating digital payment gateways used in the operation and vowed that authorities would continue to uncover what he called coordinated disinformation campaigns.
Read more: JAAC uses ‘social media to incite people’
He further stated that the network promoted sectarianism, anti-government narratives and content against the armed forces through coordinated bot activity.
The minister maintained that such campaigns sought to damage public confidence in state institutions, but insisted they would not succeed.
“No one can weaken Pakistan. Such propaganda and disinformation campaigns will continue to be exposed by the government, the armed forces and our security institutions,” Tarar said.
Showing examples of social media posts linked to the investigation, Tarar said they aimed to incite violence, spread misinformation and undermine state institutions.
“These posts are related to JAC. They encourage people to rebel and contain propaganda against the army, the country and state institutions,” Tarar said.
He said the material promoted “violence, hatred and false propaganda” and was circulated across various social media platforms to sway public opinion.
Tarar said the investigation into the arrested suspect was continuing and that additional digital evidence had already been found.
“AI-generated images were used while old videos and footage from other countries and places were falsely presented as incidents from Kashmir,” Tarar said.
The minister said the campaign also sought to fuel sectarian tensions and create division in society.
Read also: Rangers personnel martyred in Rawalakot attack by banned JAAC armed groups
Tarar said countering disinformation was the government’s responsibility and that “We will continue to do so with technical expertise, just as we have exposed this conspiracy,” he said.
He added that Pakistan’s international standing had improved and said the government would continue to work to protect the country’s reputation.
