Imran Khan's sister charged under Pakistan cybercrime law over alleged anti-state content

Pakistan's cybercrime agency has registered a case against Noreen Niazi, sister of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, over content authorities say targeted state institutions and the military.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency filed the case in Islamabad this week, according to an official police complaint.

What is Noreen Niazi charged with under Pakistan's cybercrime law?

The NCCIA registered the case under Sections 20 and 26A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, according to the First Information Report. The FIR accuses Niazi of making false and baseless allegations against Pakistan and its armed forces. It also alleges she sought to undermine public confidence in state institutions and spread panic among the public.

The FIR further accuses Niazi of disseminating false, provocative, offensive and threatening material. Investigators describe her actions as part of a coordinated propaganda campaign against state and security institutions. The case has been formally registered and legal proceedings are now under way.

Why was Noreen Niazi summoned by the NCCIA?

The charges follow an inquiry the NCCIA launched more than a week earlier. The agency had summoned Niazi to appear before investigators on July 20 over allegations she shared false, offensive and inflammatory content on social media targeting state institutions. The summons directed her to appear at the agency's Islamabad office for questioning.

The notice warned that failure to comply would be treated as a refusal to present a defense during the inquiry. That summons marked the first formal step in a process that has now resulted in criminal charges being filed against her.

What did Noreen Niazi say in the podcast that triggered the investigation?

The investigation stems from a podcast interview, clips of which circulated widely on social media. During the interview, Niazi made a series of allegations about last year's brief military conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India. According to the FIR and an earlier summons, she described the conflict - which Pakistan officially refers to as Marka-e-Haq - as staged.

Niazi claimed the conflict had been pre-planned to bolster the image of Pakistan's military, allegedly in coordination with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also alleged that India held back from further military action because of Pakistan's purported moves towards recognizing Israel. She linked this to a claim that the United States had sought to persuade Pakistan to join the Abraham Accords, tying it to President Donald Trump's praise for Pakistan's leadership.

Niazi's allegations have not been independently verified. Pakistani authorities say the case concerns the dissemination of false and inflammatory content under the country's cybercrime laws, rather than the substance of her claims about the conflict itself.