16 vloggers, TikTokers arrested in Pakistan's Punjab for spreading fake news of rape

Lahore: Law enforcement agencies have arrested more than a dozen vloggers and TikTokers accusing them of spreading fake stories about an alleged rape of a girl student that led to violent protests across Punjab province over a week ago.

Senior Punjab police officer Imran Kishwar said on Saturday that police have also identified 40 students involved in vandalism and violence.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the local police have already arrested 16 individuals, mostly vloggers and tiktokers, during the week for their alleged involved in spreading a fake rape story, he said, adding, those identified for vandalism and violence will be arrested soon.

“We have also blocked 138 social media accounts spreading fake news about the incident,” he added.

The FIA said that technical reports of the cybercrime wing had identified social media accounts of 38 senior journalists, lawyers, vloggers and TikTokers who were found involved in sharing the news of the alleged fake propaganda, instigating the general public to involve in ransacking the government and private infrastructure.

At least 50 students were injured and one security guard killed during massive protests that had turned violent across several cities of Punjab province last week following a social media report about a female student allegedly raped by a security guard at a women's college in Lahore. Police had also detained over 600 students.

Later, an investigative committee formed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz found no evidence of rape at the college, nor did it find any eyewitnesses.

The committee conducted interviews with around 28 students, who mentioned they had heard about the incident from others. The committee’s report stated that the matter was sensationalised through social media posts.

Maryam Nawaz blamed former jailed prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for exploiting the matter through social media.