Overseas Pakistan under radar as govt decides to expand May 9 probe

• Expats found to be involved in instigation, glorification and support will be proceeded against. 
• Data of more than 500 Pakistanis collected in this regard. 
• Call records, social media activity, travel history etc analysed. 

LONDON: The government has decided to expand the investigation into the May 9 events — the day on which violent protests erupted after former prime minister Imran Khan's arrest — and include overseas Pakistanis in the probe, sources told Geo News. 

The authorities have "collected and analysed" the data of hundreds of expats — mostly from the UK, Europe and the US.

The sources told Geo News that all those expatriates found to be involved in the instigation, glorification and support — physical, moral and financial — of the heinous incidents on May 9 shall be proceeded against. 

In this regard, the relevant data of more than 500 Pakistanis has been collected. "Their call records, social media activity, travel history, financial transactions, immigration status, and other relevant data have also been analysed," they said. 

Moreover, the government shall initiate criminal proceedings against all those involved, and the relevant foreign governments will be contacted for handing over the culprits. 

Their legal status in the host countries, mode of entry and pending dual nationality applications shall also be made part of the proceedings. 

In this regard, the host countries will be informed accordingly.

On May 9, protests were triggered countrywide after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was arrested in the £190 million settlement case which led to the deaths of at least 10 people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

Following the attacks, over 100 PTI workers and leaders — including Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Imran Ismail, and Ali Zaidi — left the former ruling party, condemning the May 9 attacks amid a countrywide crackdown on them.