Committee probing Lahore college incident finalises report

LAHORE: A high-level committee formed to probe the Lahore private college incident finalised its report, recommending measures to end spread of fake news on social media, ARY News reported.

The committee comprising chief secretary Punjab, advocate general Punjab, secretary interior, secretary higher education, and secretary special education in its report maintained that the students need to differentiate between positive and negative activities.

“Effective measures are needed to curb hate speech and fake news on social media. Influencers and vloggers should promote positivity and counter harmful content,” the report read.

The committee also recommended further investigation into alleged hate speech and fake social media accounts. The report also emphasised the need for responsible social media usage and increased the vigilance to prevent similar incidents.

Read more: Punjab CM forms committee to probe ‘rape incident’ at private college

Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) booked 20 suspects including journalists and social media activists for allegedly spreading misinformation and defaming a private college in Lahore ‘rape’ case.

The case has been registered on the complaint of the Principal of the private college Saadia Javed, stating that the accused persons ran a malicious campaign on social media, harming the institution’s reputation.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), an inquiry found no evidence of rape or the alleged victim’s existence. “The accused created unrest among students with their false claims,” the FIR stated. CCTV footage and the investigation with a security guard revealed no evidence of the alleged incident.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday categorically dismissed rumors of an alleged on-campus rape of a Lahore student, terming it a “fabricated story” designed to mislead and instigate students through social media.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said that the incident never occurred, and the rumors were intentionally spread to harm the government’s reputation.

Last week, news of the alleged rape went viral on social media, prompting the police to arrest a security guard at the college. The police confirmed that the suspect was in custody and an investigation was underway.

She further accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of fueling the rumors to gain political advantage.

“The girl is not a rape victim, but a victim of bad politics and conspiracy,” she added.