A comprehensive story by Murtaza Hussain and Ryan Grim that “The army has ordered thousands of field officers to combat online support for deposed former prime minister Imran Khan and other opposition voices.”
The Pakistani military has reportedly organized a secret online campaign called the “Army Agahi Network” (AAN) that involves thousands of serving officers. The program aims to spread pro-military messages and defamatory accusations against critics of the army, as well as individuals and groups viewed as political enemies. The military officers are instructed to create fake social media accounts to post anonymously. This activity contradicts the oath taken by military personnel to refrain from engaging in political activities. The military’s press office has not commented on the allegations. The AAN’s activities coincide with a government-led campaign to suppress and intimidate major media outlets in Pakistan, making social media one of the few remaining sources of information for citizens.
After a no-confidence vote in 2022, Pakistan has been facing economic and political crises, leading to widespread unrest. The military has silenced dissent, shut down news outlets, and targeted political rivals. Young supporters of the party have criticized the military on social media, leading to a Twitter ban and the creation of fake Facebook accounts by military officers. The former Prime Minister, Khan, has been imprisoned and faced charges, with the military aiming to further curtail online speech and label social media critics as terrorists. The crackdown has involved detentions and harassment of government critics, with accounts linked to the military playing a central role.
The Armed Forces of Pakistan are reportedly operating the “Asim Bajwa Network” (AAN), a social media manipulation campaign aimed at influencing public opinion domestically and globally. The AAN consists of officers who share approved messages on social media under aliases and engage in amplifying and attacking perceived adversaries online. They also provide news updates on security and military affairs in Pakistan. The social media campaign has targeted individuals, including judges such as Babar Sattar, with personal attacks and harassment. The Islamabad High Court and Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency are investigating the campaign. Additionally, another judge was targeted by an online harassment campaign involving an account affiliated with the AAN, leading to orders for investigation by government agencies.
The AAN campaign is targeting Khan and the PTI, accusing them of having ties to India’s intelligence agencies and receiving covert political support from Jewish powerbrokers. The network denounces the PTI and has accused individuals involved in the legal standoff, including Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi. The network also blames Pakistan’s ongoing economic problems on the deposed former prime minister. A Facebook account affiliated with AAN blames the PTI for the IMF’s lack of trust in Pakistan and high external borrowing. The network denounces enemies of the Pakistani military and continues to deflect blame onto the former PTI government for Pakistan’s economic crisis. Additionally, the government has been praised for cracking down on “digital terrorists.”
The Intercept published reports on Pakistan’s crackdown on the PTI, including leaked Pakistani intelligence documents showing U.S. officials’ involvement in ousting Khan from office. An account claiming to belong to a disaffected founder of the party posted a fabricated audio recording implicating a reporter in unethical behaviour. The account is affiliated with the AAN network and continues to post insider information about corruption inside Khan’s party. Other Twitter accounts in the AAN network have targeted Pakistani journalists and news organizations. Despite reports of fraud in the February elections and human rights abuses, the U.S. government has continued to offer security support to Pakistan. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the U.S. does not take a position on internal political matters in Pakistan but urges respect for democracy and human rights.
