Sindh Govt Clarifies Viral Security Alert on Social Media

The Sindh government has denied the authenticity of a message circulating on WhatsApp that falsely claimed a “high-level security alert” had been declared in Karachi from November 12 to 30.

The fake security alert notification surfaced a day after a suicide attack outside Islamabad’s district and sessions court in the G-11 area.

The bogus alert stated that the Sindh government, citing “verified intelligence reports,” had imposed a high-security status across Karachi and identified several “high-risk” locations such as Dolmen Mall, Empress Market, Jinnah International Airport, and educational institutions.

It further advised the public to avoid these areas and outlined supposed safety protocols, including the use of walkthrough gates, metal detectors, and the reporting of suspicious vehicles.

The message, which bore the name of Sindh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Syed Kaleem Imam, also warned that failure to follow these instructions would lead to legal consequences under the Sindh Security of Vulnerable Establishments Act 2024 and the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

In response, the Sindh Home Department issued a formal clarification rejecting the alert as fake. The department said that no such directive had been released under the alleged reference number HD/Sec/Clarification-11/2025.

“No official communication with this title or reference number has been issued by this department or any law enforcement agency under its control,” the statement read.

The department emphasized that all legitimate security notifications are published only through official government channels or authorized law enforcement agencies. It urged citizens and media outlets to avoid sharing or trusting unverified information circulating on social media and to confirm updates directly from official sources.

Separately, the provincial Home Department announced that the prohibition on public gatherings under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been extended for another month, effective November 12.

Section 144 empowers local administrations to temporarily restrict the assembly of four or more people in an area to preserve public order. The Sindh government had first imposed this restriction on October 12 to maintain peace and prevent potential disturbances.