FIR Lodged Against Shandana Gulzar Over Alleged Hate Speech and Fake News
ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ms. Shandana Gulzar Khan for allegedly spreading fake news, promoting ethnic hatred, and running a targeted campaign against state institutions through her social media accounts.
According to the FIR (No. 296/2025), lodged at the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Islamabad, the case was registered under Sections 11, 20, and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. The FIR states that the complaint was filed by Anees-ur-Rehman, Technical Assistant at the CCRC, Islamabad, on behalf of the State.
The inquiry, numbered 2098/2025, revealed that the accused, Ms. Shandana Gulzar Khan d/o Gulzar Khan, a resident of G-308, Parliament Lodges, Islamabad, had allegedly used her verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @ShandanaGulzar, and other social media platforms to prepare, post, and propagate content considered offensive, intimidating, and false.
The FIR accuses Shandana Gulzar of willfully disseminating misleading and fabricated material aimed at advancing racial and ethnic hatred, as well as discrediting state institutions. Among the URLs cited in the FIR are multiple posts and retweets that, according to investigators, contained fake news and manipulated media.
One cited instance from October 8, 2025, involves a retweet of a YouTube clip in which the PTI leader allegedly claimed that “Dr. Sanam Baloch was picked up by MI/ISI from Peshawar.” Authorities say this post was “likely to cause fear, panic, disorder, or unrest in society.”
The investigation report further states that Shandana Gulzar’s online activity displayed a “predetermined mindset” to promote the agenda of “elements operating against the Federation of Pakistan.”
The NCCIA’s FIR concluded that her actions had “undermined national harmony and posed a direct threat to state security.”
As of now, no official statement has been issued by Ms. Shandana Gulzar or the PTI regarding the FIR.
