'Twitter in Pakistan infested with fake accounts'

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 6 years ago

ISLAMABAD - Umar Saif, a former head of Punjab Information Technology Board, has maintained that Twitter in Pakistan is infested with fake accounts.

Saif, currently serving as an advisor on SDGs for UN, tweeted: “Twitter in Pakistan is fast becoming the equivalent of rent-a-crowd for political jalsas ...”

Twitter in Pakistan is fast becoming the equivalent of rent-a-crowd for political jalsas ... https://t.co/g7CVp9ZOt3
— Umar Saif (@umarsaif) May 1, 2019

Earlier, he tweeted that less than 1% Pakistanis use Twitter. “Less than 0.6% of Pakistanis actively use Twitter (~1.2 million monthly active users). Surprisingly, while social media usage grew in Pakistan, twitter saw 8% drop last quarter. Twitter in Pakistan is infested with fake accounts, specifically to abuse this medium & genuine users.”

Explore Further

New study shows alarming decline in press freedom in Pakistan

November 20, 2025: New data from the Worlds of Journalism Report shows rising threats, political pressures, and shrinking media freedom for Pakistani journalists working in an increasingly hostile environment.

Shahzeb Khanzada faces lawsuit threat in Canada over video

November 19, 2025: Shahid Bhatti threatens legal action against Shahzeb Khanzada and his wife in Canada, claiming their actions endangered his life and violated Canadian law.

Journalists condemn police handling of Imran Khan’s sisters

November 19, 2025: Journalists across Pakistan condemn police for allegedly roughing up Imran Khan’s sisters outside Adiala Jail, sparking outrage and raising questions about rights and accountability.

Minister says man who harassed Shahzeb Khanzada identified

November 19, 2025: Pakistan’s information minister says the man who harassed journalist Shahzeb Khanzada in Canada has been identified as a PTI worker, though BBC Urdu says it cannot verify the claim.

Top ARY News official criticizes double-faced journalism

November 18, 2025: ARY News President Ammad Yousaf criticizes double-faced journalism in Pakistan, highlighting opportunism and ethical concerns without naming any journalist directly.

Benazir Shah targeted by AI video as Shahzeb Khanzada faces backlash

November 17, 2025: Benazir Shah condemns AI harassment while Shahzeb Khanzada faces sharp criticism for agenda-driven coverage, raising questions about ethics and accountability in Pakistani journalism.

Shahzeb Khanzada, Shahbaz Gill clash intensifies on X

November 17, 2025: A heated exchange between Shahzeb Khanzada and Shahbaz Gill on X escalates after a viral mall confrontation involving a member of the public, underscoring rising hostility and polarization in Pakistan’s media sphere.

Viral video shows Shahzeb Khanzada harassed in public

November 16, 2025: Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada was verbally harassed in a viral video while shopping. A fellow journalist condemns the attack and calls for respect and media safety.

Newsroom

Thai court indicts Australian journalist over defamation

November 20, 2025 Bangkok court indicts Australian journalist Murray Hunter in a Malaysian defamation case, raising alarms over cross-border legal actions threatening press freedom and journalistic safety

Georgia urged to free jailed journalist Mzia Amaglobeli

November 19, 2025 CPJ urges Georgia to release journalist Mzia Amaglobeli after an appeals court upheld her two-year sentence, raising serious concerns over press freedom and political reprisals.

Human Rights groups urge U.S. to press Saudi Arabia on press freedom

November 18, 2025 Human rights groups urge U.S. officials to press Saudi Arabia on releasing jailed journalists and reforming media restrictions during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Washington visit.

Major X disruption exposes newsroom dependence on single platforms

November 18, 2025 A major X outage on November 18 disrupted newsroom workflows, exposed platform dependence, and created openings for misinformation as media outlets scrambled to shift distribution channels.

Palestinian journalist wounded during West Bank operation

November 18, 2025 A Palestinian journalist was wounded during an Israeli operation in the West Bank, highlighting growing safety risks and rising operational pressures for media crews on the ground.