Pakistani authorities to probe Imran Khan and his party leaders over a controversial X post

Imran Khan. Pic/AFP

The Pakistani authorities are set to probe jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and at least three senior leaders of his party over a controversial tweet accompanied by a video made from his account about the separation of East Pakistan in 1971. Khan's account, managed by his social media team due to his incarceration, on May 26 shared a video with a quote attributed to him on X, stating: "Every Pakistani should study the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

The Hamoodur Rahman Commission probed the fall of East Pakistan and compiled a report which had not been officially released. The video accompanying the tweet argued that the former military dictator Yahya Khan was responsible for the country's breakup, referring to alleged atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the civil war. It also included images of the current civilian and military leadership, alleging they stole the party's mandate in the general elections.

The post resulted in a heated debate, particularly from government ministers who accused the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of trying to fuel a narrative of hatred against the army by comparing Khan to Sheikh Mujib. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) already issued a notice to Khan over the issue. An FIA team also visited the Adiala Jail on Thursday to interrogate Khan but he refused to meet the team while saying that he would only respond in the presence of his lawyers. Sources said that it also summoned PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and Raoof Hasan for questioning on Tuesday. The main charge is that the video aimed to incite public agitation against the state and its institutions, potentially spreading fear and unrest among the populace

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