Crackdown on AI-generated content: FIA targets 10 more suspects

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 22 January 2025 |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD-The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered cases against 10 additional suspects, including two women, for sharing AI-generated images of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on social media.

According to the FIA, the total number of cases has risen to 18, targeting individuals who created and disseminated the manipulated images.

Muhammad Sarfraz Chaudhry, Additional Director of Cyber Crime Lahore, stated that efforts are underway to extradite suspects such as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehbaz Gill and retired army officer Adil Raja, who have been named in the case.

FIA officials revealed that suspects have been divided into four categories, encompassing those who created, shared, liked, or commented on the controversial images. They warned that individuals involved could face prison sentences ranging from five to seven years.

The controversy began when Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's Special Assistant shared a photo on their X (formerly Twitter) account featuring Maryam Nawaz alongside the UAE President and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The image subsequently became the subject of a targeted campaign on social media, during which objectionable edits were made and circulated widely.

In response, the FIA initiated an investigation and has formed dedicated teams to trace and apprehend the culprits.