Pakpattan Police Book Two for Offensive Social Media Post Against CM Maryam Nawaz
On January 24, Pakpattan police registered a case against two individuals accused of posting and sharing “unethical, derogatory, offensive and dirty language” on social media against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The case was lodged under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca) and Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The action was initiated after District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Iqbal took notice of a viral post and directed the police to act swiftly. Subsequently, Farid Nagar Police Station booked Hafiz Taha Amin, a resident of Basti Farid, 16/SP, who created the post, and Asif Farid, a resident of Mohalla Shaheed Nagar and the admin of the WhatsApp group ‘Pakistan Kay Tiger Group’. The case was filed on the complaint of SHO Muhammad Mansha.
According to the first information report (FIR), during a mobile patrol, SHO Mansha, accompanied by constables Shabbir Hussain and Abid, discovered a social media post using offensive language against CM Maryam Nawaz. Police investigations traced the post to Hafiz Taha Amin, who is currently residing in Islamabad, while the group admin, Asif Farid, had shared the post within the WhatsApp group.
As per the FIR: “The suspect deliberately uploaded an immoral, insulting post on the group, while the admin, being aware of the post’s offensive and illegal nature, did not delete it, but rather allowed other group members to see the post.” It said that the group admin was “trying to spread chaos among the public.”
The police have arrested group admin Asif Farid, who resides in Pakpattan, while planning raids in Islamabad to apprehend Hafiz Taha Amin.
The incident comes in the wake of the National Assembly passing the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The legislation has drawn criticism from journalists, civil society, and opposition parties.