Pakistan: PTI leaders push for social media oversight, await Imran's approval

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 15 (ANI): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political committee has decided to raise concerns with party founder Imran Khan over the unregulated use of its official social media accounts, which have been used to post aggressive content, including messages perceived as targeting the military and national interests, Geo News reported.
Senior leaders believe a structured oversight mechanism is needed to ensure that official messaging aligns with party policies and avoids unnecessary controversies.
Sources within PTI revealed that this issue was discussed in a recent political committee meeting at KP House in Islamabad, where leaders expressed concern over the reckless handling of PTI's digital platforms.
Many agreed that these platforms, including official accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, have been misused to push narratives that create friction with state institutions. To address this, senior party figures will meet Khan in jail and advise him to form a committee responsible for vetting all content before it is published.
The primary concern is the alleged influence of overseas individuals who have been managing PTI's digital operations. Some leaders fear that external actors are using party accounts to promote anti-military campaigns and other narratives that may not reflect PTI's official stance, Geo News reported.
While Imran Khan has previously defended the content posted, frustration has been growing among party officials who believe PTI's social media should be controlled internally. Senior figures, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Salman Akram Raja, Shibli Faraz, Junaid Akbar, Raoof Hasan, Amir Dogar, Hafiz Farhat, and Asad Qaiser, attended the meeting and agreed that stricter oversight was necessary.
The matter gained urgency following the recent terrorist attack in Balochistan, during which PTI's social media platforms were accused of amplifying narratives aligned with militant propaganda. Some of the party's verified accounts allegedly shared content that critics argue could be interpreted as sympathetic to anti-state elements.
Party leaders worry that without proper oversight, PTI's social media presence could continue to stir controversy and invite scrutiny from authorities. The committee believes that implementing a structured approval process will prevent such incidents in the future.
Despite the push for stronger controls, a key challenge is that PTI's senior leadership currently has little direct authority over its social media operations. Even PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and Information Secretary Waqas Akram Shaikh reportedly lack control over what is posted on the official accounts.
Previous attempts to engage PTI's overseas chapters, particularly in the United States, to regulate content have largely been ignored, reported Geo News.
Another source of frustration is that PTI's digital platforms often promote social media influencers and YouTubers based abroad while ignoring official statements from senior party leaders. Some leaders feel that social media narratives are being shaped by individuals with personal agendas rather than the party's core leadership. (ANI)