ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): An eight-month investigation by The News Investigation Cell claims to have uncovered an alleged network that attempted to recruit one of its journalists to publish externally prepared political articles and obtain unpublished information in exchange for financial incentives and promises of employment and relocation abroad.
According to the investigation, the operation was documented through WhatsApp and Facebook conversations, recorded calls, financial transaction records and article drafts. The newspaper said the matter was reported to the relevant government authorities due to its potential national security implications.
The first contact reportedly took place in November 2025, when a woman claiming to represent a Dubai-based public relations company approached the journalist via Facebook.
She initially discussed publishing opinion pieces before allegedly revealing that her clients supplied ready-made articles for publication in Pakistani newspapers.
The proposed topics reportedly included Pakistan’s military leadership, the economy, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Pakistan-China relations, Afghanistan and Balochistan.
The investigation alleges that the operative initially offered Rs70,000 to arrange publication of an article, including an advance payment, and later transferred additional funds, bringing the total amount received during the operation to Rs103,000.
According to the report, three publication-ready opinion articles were shared through WhatsApp. The articles allegedly criticized Pakistan’s military leadership, the government’s economic narrative and the SIFC.
The report states that requests later expanded to seeking unpublished information through the journalist’s professional contacts, which the journalist says he neither provided nor agreed to obtain.
During the final phase of the investigation, the journalist confronted the alleged operative about a possible connection to a foreign intelligence agency. According to the report, the operative discussed arranging employment in Europe and relocating the journalist and his family if the operation was exposed.
The following day, a man identifying himself as the woman’s superior allegedly offered to increase payments to Rs170,000 per article and promised to arrange visas for the journalist and his family within a week if relocation became necessary.
The report further claims the caller stated he had played “a small role” in the Pegasus spyware episode, although The News said it could not independently verify the claim.
The investigation concludes that while it could not independently establish who financed the operation, authored the articles or directed the network, it documented repeated offers of money, requests to publish externally prepared political content, attempts to obtain unpublished information and discussions about relocation abroad if the operation was exposed.
