Lahore police have detained a man, Farhan Asif, in connection with the violent protests and riots that erupted in Britain, allegedly triggered by the spread of fake news.
Farhan Asif, who was apprehended from Lahore’s Defence area, is accused of disseminating false information about the identity of the killers of three girls in Britain, which reportedly fueled the unrest. According to police sources, Asif works as a freelancer for a news platform in Pakistan.
Following his arrest, Asif was handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further investigation. The FIA confirmed that Asif’s video post on social media, which spread misinformation, incited violent acts and controversies in the UK. British authorities had shared details of Asif’s activities with the Pakistani government, leading to his capture by the CIA Model Town Police. Preliminary investigations have confirmed Asif’s involvement in spreading the fake news.
Also read: Pakistani man involved with news website that fueled UK riots: report
FIA officials have announced that a case is being registered against Farhan Asif under cyberterrorism laws. This incident underscores the serious consequences of spreading misinformation and its potential cross-border implications.
The suspect’s Facebook page was discovered after investigations by news outlets BBC and VOA Europe.
He calims on Facebook to be from New York. In an X account linked to Channel3 Now, he describes himself as a “crime news reporter” who covers the United States.
On Linkedin and Rozee.pk, two professional social networking sites, Asif describes himself as an employee of an outsourcing company in Lahore
UK Riots
The tragic stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in Southport, northern England, at the end of July sparked the most significant unrest the UK has seen in over a decade. The violence, which spread to various towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland, was exacerbated by online misinformation, far-right activity, and anti-immigration sentiment.
In response to the unrest, communities organized rallies, with thousands gathering to stand against the riots. Immediately after the attack, social media posts falsely claimed that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat in 2023. An incorrect name was widely circulated, along with unfounded rumors suggesting the suspect was Muslim.
However, reports from the BBC and other media outlets clarified that the suspect was actually born in Wales to Rwandan parents.
Police urged the public to refrain from spreading “unconfirmed speculation and false information.”
The day after the attack, over a thousand people attended a vigil for the victims in Southport. Unfortunately, violence erupted later that evening near a local mosque, where individuals threw bricks, bottles, and other objects at the mosque and police. A police van was set on fire, and 27 officers were hospitalized.
