ISLAMABAD: The caretaker federal government has formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to conduct an investigation into the ongoing malicious campaign on social media against the government officials, including Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The JIT is headed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing additional director general and includes Grade-19 officers of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and NADRA.

The JIT will be tasked with probing various facets of the nefarious activities, including the dissemination of false information on social media platforms, the printing of fake ballot papers, and propaganda aimed at influencing public sentiment.

The committee will collaborate with IT experts to gather evidence and ascertain the extent of the wrongdoing. It will meticulously register cases and recommend appropriate actions against the responsible individuals.

Earlier, Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar said that the state of Pakistan shall defend the civil servants in discharging their constitutional duties, act against the “violent trolls” and ensure “exemplary punishment” to them.

The statement came days after the former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chata confessed to his “involvement in rigging election results in the city”, and resigned from his post.

Taking responsibility for what he termed a “heinous crime,” Chatha implicated not only himself but also accused the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘rigging’ — a claim denied by the ECP and the CJP.

The presser came almost a week after the Feb 8 general elections as the ECP has already been in the crosshairs of several rigging allegations amidst PTI and other political parties’ nationwide protests, claiming they were deprived of their mandate.

The ECP flatly rejected the rigging allegations put forth by Liaquat Ali Chatta against the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner.

The spokesperson said in a statement that neither the ECP nor any of its officials instructed the Rawalpindi commissioner to change election results under his jurisdiction.