On July 3, 2025, Punjab’s Home Department reported that 932 social media links had been flagged to its cyber patrolling cell, resulting in 74 arrests for inflammatory posts ahead of Muharram. The government’s zero-tolerance policy aims to curb sectarian content.
The Punjab Home Department’s cyber patrolling cell is actively monitoring social media for sectarian and provocative content, flagging 932 links. A spokesperson stated, “Immediate action is being taken over religious hatred-based posts,” with 74 individuals arrested for spreading inflammatory material. The department emphasised a “zero-tolerance policy” to prevent incitement during Muharram, a period prone to sectarian tensions, with 45% of processions deemed high-risk, per police data.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari warned that social media users posting fake or inflammatory content face immediate arrest. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, she said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had ordered strict action against content inciting hatred or violence. A dedicated cybersecurity force, collaborating with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), will monitor platforms, suspend accounts, and pursue legal prosecution to maintain peace during Muharram.
Muharram, starting July 7, 2025, is a sensitive period in Pakistan, with historical incidents of sectarian violence. The Home Department’s crackdown follows a surge in online hate speech in 2024, with 1,200 accounts blocked, according to PTA reports.
