In 2019, at the height of the India-Pakistan border clashes, GeatGameInternational exposed a propaganda unit Command Eleven directed by former Pakistani, Israeli, and British military psychological warfare operatives peddling disinformation to stoke further tensions between the two countries. The story led to a major controversy with our reporters facing threats and online abuse. Now, we reveal a secret Pakistani program directing military officers to attack social media critics and “Digital Terrorists”.
Pakistan’s military leadership has secretly enlisted thousands of serving officers in an online campaign to target judges, activists, and journalists it views as political enemies. This covert operation called the “Army Agahi Network” (AAN) or Army Awareness Network, involves military officers creating fake social media accounts to spread pro-military messages and attack critics of the army, civil society members, and supporters of the former prime minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reports Dropsite News.
A Leak Unveils the Network
A source involved in the program leaked this information to Drop Site, a news publication. They revealed that the AAN directs groups of military field officers to manage fake social media profiles. These profiles post content that supports the military and discredits those who oppose it. Drop Site chose not to publish the data to protect the source’s identity. A social media analysis expert reviewed some of these posts to confirm their authenticity.
Changing Tactics
While the military previously relied on journalists and social media influencers for similar campaigns, the AAN is a new development. It commands army officers to anonymously post online, which is alarming to even some military members. In Pakistan, military personnel are required to avoid participating in political activities.
The military’s press office did not respond to requests for comment. This online manipulation coincides with a government campaign to suppress major media outlets in Pakistan through intimidation, leaving social media as one of the last sources of information for citizens.
Forced to Break Oaths
Officers involved in the AAN are uneasy about their new roles. “We are being given instructions by our superiors to spread political posts despite knowing that this is a violation of our oath of office and the constitution,” the source said. The officers are made to post against judges and civil society members, leading to a political involvement that harms the army’s image.
Digital Terrorists
Pakistan has been in turmoil since an army-backed no-confidence vote in 2022 against Khan, causing economic and political crises. To silence dissent, the military has shut down domestic news outlets and imprisoned or exiled many of its political rivals, especially PTI supporters. However, they were unprepared for the backlash from millions of young PTI supporters online, who criticized the army heavily on social media.
In response, the military’s public affairs office, ISPR, launched the AAN. Recently, the Pakistani government moved to ban Twitter (now X), leading the AAN to focus more on Facebook, where officers were ordered to create fake accounts.
Online Manipulation and Intimidation
The AAN’s operations are organized by the ISPR and resemble the “troll farms” used by other countries like Russia and India. Officers receive approved messages to share on social media under fake identities. These accounts pretend to be freelance writers, social media bloggers, or military analysts.
The main goal is to win public opinion domestically and influence global narratives. Many AAN accounts amplify each other’s messages, making them appear coordinated and inauthentic.
Targeting Judges and Critics
Recently, the AAN targeted Babar Sattar, a judge on the Islamabad High Court, who accused military intelligence agencies of interfering in judicial cases involving Khan. The AAN-affiliated Twitter account @PakLawMovement posted defamatory content about Sattar, including his U.S. green card and personal rumors.
This social media campaign is now under investigation by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and several government agencies, including the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI).
Relentless Campaign Against PTI
The AAN continues to focus on Khan and the PTI, accusing the party of ties to India’s intelligence agencies and sharing antisemitic messages. They target individuals close to Khan, like his wife, Bushra Bibi, and blame PTI for Pakistan’s economic issues.
Attacks on Journalists
Journalists critical of the military have also been targeted. The AAN spreads false accusations and personal attacks against reporters and media outlets, including Hamid Mir and the newspaper DAWN.
Despite reports of election fraud and human rights abuses, the U.S. government continues to support Pakistan. The U.S. State Department remains neutral on Pakistan’s internal political matters, urging respect for democracy and human rights.
Pakistan’s military is using the AAN to control public opinion and silence critics. This secret online campaign involves creating fake profiles to spread propaganda and attack perceived enemies, raising concerns about the army’s involvement in political activities and the suppression of free speech.
