Ahmad Waqass Goraya, an exiled Pakistani activist who was the ISIs target for a hit job, said that all known stooges of the spy agency have become active to have his Twitter account blocked as part of a fake campaign on harassing women journalists of Pakistan.
"All known stooges of ISI have become active. Is it a coincidence that this campaign started right at the start of trial. The purpose is clear to divert attention from trial coverage. This is 21st century and fake campaigns lead by known fraudsters don't work," Goraya, who's based in the Netherlands and is also a blogger, said in a series of tweets.
"Just tell me why Notorious 'colonel' Shafiq of ISPR is calling press clubs and journalists to tweet and write about it. What is interest of ISPR? Why Pakistan Army's media wing is coordinating the campaign? Why is there no independent journalist backing this campaign?.
"Why all fake news peddlers and ISI/ISPR propagandists are tweeting. The known Fake Websites and twitter accounts of ISPR are amplifying this. The fraudsters got their accounts verified as journalists with zero journalistic work on their credentials.
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"Social media does not work like Pakistani media where tycoons can be blackmail or pressurised into firing the staff.
"And don't forget to send me any evidence of these stooges being journalists. Their any published work as journalist can be sent. Not fake columns written by researchers of ISI," Goraya added.
On day three of the trial of Muhammad Gohir Khan, the man charged with conspiracy to murder Goraya, the jury was once again told details of how this alleged plot was hatched and funds transferred to finalise the deal, Dawn news reported.
A middleman identified as Muzammil, who used the nicknames Mudz, Zed and Papa on Whatsapp, was in contact with Khan over several months in 2021 when the two discussed the hit as well as payment for the job.
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Muzamil paid nearly 5,000 pounds into an Allied Bank account belonging to a Muhammad Amin Asif in Chiniot. This money, the Crown Prosecution Service said, was part of the deal between Khan and the middleman to kill Goraya, the report said.
Khan later received 4,888 pounds in the UK via Hundi transfer, which he then used to purchase tickets, arrange for tests and book his stay in the Netherlands.
A UK court heard that 31-year-old Khan was hired as a "hitman" by figures said to be based in Pakistan, the BBC reported.
Lawyers said Goraya had set up a blog on Facebook making fun of the Pakistani military and detailing alleged human rights violations.
