LAHORE: Pakistani authorities have detained a citizen accused of spreading disinformation that allegedly contributed to race-related riots in the UK, following the stabbing of three young girls in Southport. Law enforcement sources have informed Dawn that the UK broadcaster ITV News had implicated a Lahore-based freelancer in the misinformation campaign.
However, investigators are advocating for a joint investigation team (JIT) to examine the claims made by ITV News. They suggest that Farhan Asif, a freelance web developer linked to the Channel3Now platform, may not have been the originator of the false news. Instead, Asif is believed to have merely shared content that he copied from social media.
“The allegations are serious and could have significant repercussions for the Pakistani community in the UK, particularly for Muslims,” a police officer told Dawn.
According to the officer, the disinformation was initially published by kossyderrickent.com, a lesser-known tabloid, on July 29. The tabloid covers celebrity and trending news from various countries, including South Africa and the US.
The false information was subsequently shared by a UK-based individual, known for previous disinformation about Covid-19 and climate change, on X (formerly Twitter). This account has since been inactive, with its last post on August 7.
The officer added that Asif, who had no prior criminal record or suspicious financial activity, has since disabled his social media accounts and apologized for the error. Despite his efforts to remove the false post, the misinformation continued to spread as it was shared by other users.
