FIA sends notice to singer Salman Ahmed for criticising institutions on social media

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Web Desk
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Singer Salman Ahmed. Photo—screen grab from a video posted by Salman Ahmed on Twitter
Singer Salman Ahmed. Photo—screen grab from a video posted by Salman Ahmed on Twitter 
  • Salman Ahmed put up posts against state institutions on social media, says a source.
  • Singer, in a video message, also claims to have received threats.
  • He alleges that interior minister Rana Sanaullah is behind all these tactics.


The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cyber crime cell on Friday sent a notice to singer Salman Ahmed for using social media to criticise state institutions, Geo News reported.

According to sources, Salman Ahmed has been served the notice for the anthems he has sung for the PTI and for putting up posts against state institutions on social media.

The Alvida singer, in a video message on Twitter, confirmed receiving a notice from the FIA at his Defence Housing Authority (DHA) residence in Lahore.

Salman Ahmed, in the video, claimed that for the last two weeks, unknown people were roaming in cars outside his house, asking about his whereabouts and threatening his family.

The singer alleged that Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah is behind all these tactics.

"If my family or friends are threatened I will hold responsible Rana Sanaullah, Hamza Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Sharif and will see to it that there is a reckoning, InshaAllah," he said.

Govt to launch crackdown against defamatory social media content

The federal government a day earlier announced it has decided to launch a crackdown against social media users who post content that is deemed defamatory.

The decision comes after Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal was heckled by PTI supporters at a restaurant on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway last week.

A video of the PML-N leader being heckled at a fast food outlet went viral after which the family apologised to Iqbal.

The interior minister chaired a meeting on Friday, which was also attended by the federal interior secretary, Punjab IG, FIA DG, NADRA Acting Chairman Khalid Latif and other officials.

In the meeting, issues of harassment of citizens and uploading "immoral videos" on social media were discussed and it was decided to crack down on those who share defamatory content on social media and impersonate others.