Karachi Police Probe ‘India Zindabad’ LED Display Hack

News Desk 

Karachi: Karachi Police have registered two separate cases after LED signboards in Clifton and Gulshan-e-Iqbal displayed the slogan “India Zindabad” late Tuesday night, sparking outrage among locals and social media users.

In the first incident, Clifton Police booked four individuals for allegedly flashing the slogan on the LED display board of a men’s salon near Boat Basin around 10:30 pm on November 5. The accused were identified as Arif Khan (28) of Karachi, Naveed Ahmad (35) of Lahore, Imran Sheikh (24) of Faisalabad, and Rizwan Ali (40) of Karachi.

In a separate case, Gulshan Police detained five men for allegedly displaying the same slogan on the LED board of a liquor store near NIPA Chowrangi around midnight. Those arrested include Rohail Mehta and Nitin Sharma from Hyderabad (Sindh), Danish Khan and Usman Malik from Karachi, and Ravi Kumar from Sukkur.

Police said the suspects “hatched a criminal conspiracy and deliberately displayed the slogan ‘India Zindabad’ on their internet-connected LED boards, visible to the public.” The act, they said, was aimed at “provoking public outrage and promoting enmity against the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan.”

The accused have been booked under Section 153 and Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Sections 36 and 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016. Police termed it an attempt to wage “psychological and propaganda warfare” through digital means.

Both displays were promptly noticed by residents, who alerted police. Teams from Clifton and Gulshan police stations arrived at the scenes and disconnected the LED systems. The investigation, led by Sub-Inspector Farhan Qureshi, is underway to determine whether the boards were hacked or deliberately programmed.

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar told reporters that the incident appeared to be a “cyber intrusion” meant to trigger communal or political tension. “It seems someone tried to test our systems and create unnecessary panic. We will trace whoever is behind this,” he said.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab condemned the act, calling it “a blatant attempt to undermine national unity.” He urged youth to stay alert and not fall for “digital provocations.”

Opposition leader Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman demanded a transparent investigation, warning that such episodes could be used to distract the public from “serious governance and corruption issues” in the province.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said strict legal action had already been initiated. “Such anti-state acts will not be tolerated. The culprits will be dealt with under the law,” he asserted.