ISLAMABAD: Police have arrested a citizen for allegedly mocking and comparing the Tarnol Railway Crossing to the Strait of Hormuz, according to a first information report (FIR).
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route, has reportedly been severely disrupted due to the ongoing Middle East war.
The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was registered on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Shahid Asghar on behalf of the state.
It was filed under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), and Section 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
According to the complaint, a man identified as Khurram was accused of posting on social media a comparison between the Tarnol Railway Crossing and the Strait of Hormuz.
The post reportedly stated: “Tarnol Railway Crossing is no less than the Strait of Hormuz. If it is closed, all our problems will be resolved.”
The FIR further stated that the post quickly went viral on social media, prompting police action.
Upon noticing the post, police reached Tarnol Chowk and conducted an inquiry, during which it was found that Khurram, a resident of Dhok Paracha, Islamabad, had shared the content.
The FIR also noted that, in view of the prevailing security situation, the government had imposed Section 144 restricting certain online content and activities.
It added that the citizen was taken into custody, and his mobile phone was examined, where evidence of the social media post was also recovered.
The development comes at a time when extraordinary security measures are in place in Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of an expected second round of talks between the United States and Iran amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.