A detailed Intelligence assessment relating to the future of internal security threats states that the ISI and its stooges are looking to exploit the social media platforms to the maximum their attempt to gather information and plot terror attacks.Influencers and those who thrive on making reels are the primary targets of the ISI. These persons in a bid to expand their reach and get more likes have become the easiest targets for the Pakistan’s ISI.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that outfits such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba have been scouting for such persons in very large numbers. Some of their recruits have been told to reach out to influencers and others who are active on the social media.These persons are lured with likes and money so that the ISI can push its agenda in India. While the Indian agencies have busted several influencer modules, the focus has now largely shifted to the honey trapping network that is being run by the ISI.

The ISI is running a multi-pronged strategy when it comes to using the social media. On one hand, it picks up influencers to set a narrative that is favourable to Pakistan. On the other, it is also looking for officials who are privy to sensitive information and data relating to the Union Government and the armed forces. The third part of the ISI’s strategy involves setting fake narratives against India and also running a disinformation campaign.An official said that the social media is becoming a nightmare for the security agencies. Our agencies are perfectly capable of busting such networks. However the problem lies in the scale and the manner in which the ISI is targeting people on the social media is extremely overwhelming, the official said.

Another official explained that it is not just a bunch of people that the agencies are dealing with. The ISI has created an army to scout for recruits in India. In fact, their operations runs 24/7 and this explains the scale at which Pakistan is using the social media to run their terror campaigns the official said.Officials say that there are multiple modules that are at work in such cases. The ISI has not only set up recruitment and scouting hubs in Pakistan, but in India as well. The aim is to create scores of agents in India so that information could flow in at all times. Modules have been set up in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to keep a close watch on the social media, officials say.

The ISI has understood that there are many influencers who chase fame or money and this has become their weakness. In a bid to get more likes or views on their reels or videos, these persons are not thinking about the ramifications their actions would have for national security, an official said.This weakness is being exploited to the maximum by the ISI and that is the reason, why their modules have been so successful, the official said.Recent investigations have clearly shown that apart from running disinformation campaigns and setting a narrative in favour of Pakistan, this network of the ISI has also focused on honey trapping top ranking officials.

When it comes to honey trapping those from the armed forces, the ISI agents do a detailed study on the individual. They study the persons in detail, to understand what their weaknesses are. The conversation usually with these persons last for many months before the real trap is set.The investigation into the case of Indian Air Force Wing Commander, M S Sabharwal details the manner in which he was allegedly honey-trapped. The probe found that he had allegedly used a personal device to record drone trial firings inside an exercise area. One of the communications he had with the ISI agent was relating to the interval between a drone’s launch and its arrival at a target.

The ISI has been on overdrive mode post Operation Sindoor. The operation carried out by the Indian armed forces not just exposes Pakistan’s nuclear bluff, but also dealt a major embarrassment to Islamabad.Following that operation, the ISI has been doing everything possible to try and embarrass the Indian establishment and the armed forces, in particular. They have found the social media to be the easiest tool to carry out this large-scale exercise and this is proving to be a major headache for the Indian security agencies, an official explained.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, commenting on Pakistan summoning the US envoy over US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s statement, said on Thursday that the ambassador had made his remarks and the matter was now between the two countries.

Omar Abdullah was reacting to reports that Pakistan had summoned the US envoy over Gor’s statement on Wednesday that Kashmir is an important part of India.

When asked about Pakistan summoning the US envoy over US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s remark that Jammu and Kashmir is an important part of India, Omar Abdullah said the matter was between Pakistan and the US.

“Whatever the US ambassador said, he said. Now it is between the two countries,” the CM said.

Hours after Gor’s remarks, Pakistan’s Foreign Office had summoned the US envoy in Islamabad and lodged protest over the remarks.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting Omar Abdullah on Wednesday, Gor said that the US would reconsider its travel advisories on Kashmir, noting that Kashmir is an important part of India.

This was Sergio Gor’s maiden visit to J&K after he took over his assignment as the US ambassador to India.

Earlier, Omar Abdullah had said he would discuss issues with the visiting US ambassador, but would not complain about anything since it was the central government that could address issues in J&K and not the US.

Gor graduated from George Washington University, where he was involved in conservative causes, participating in College Republicans and founding the university’s chapter of Young America’s Foundation.

He was an activist for Arizona senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and worked for the Republican National Committee, later serving as the spokesman for representatives Steve King, Michele Bachmann, and Randy Forbes.

In May 2013, Gor began working for Kentucky senator Rand Paul’s political action committee, RANDPAC, eventually serving as Paul’s spokesman, communications director, and deputy chief of staff.

Supreme Court’s former Justice R. Subhash Reddy will head the five-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC) constituted by the apex court to investigate allegations of police excesses during the students’ march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament on July 20.

The other members of the panel are: the Punjab & Haryana High Court’s former Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, Delhi High Court’s former judge, Justice Shalinder Kaur, the Central Bureau of Investigation’s former Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and Meghalaya’s former DGP, Dr L.R. Bishnoi.

The Supreme Court said in its order that the constitution of the HPEC “shall in no way deter or debar the Police authorities or other security forces from taking administrative or disciplinary action against such of their officers as may be found to be in contravention of the rules governing their conduct”.

The issues identified for investigation by the Committee include allegations of excessive force, including pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charges and tear gas, as well as the question whether police responses were proportionate to the constitutional right to peaceful protest.

It will also examine whether police/security personnel were properly identifiable through uniforms and nameplates.

In its order delivered on Tuesday, a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the HPEC to look into “the use of excessive force and violence against protestors by police authorities and other agencies, including the deployment of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charges, and tear gas without adequate warning or proportionality, resulting in severe bodily harm and injuries, some of which are alleged to be of a grievous and lasting nature”.

The Committee will also look into the necessity of ensuring that police and security personnel wear proper uniforms and visible nameplates at the time of effecting arrests or using force during crowd control operations, so as to secure accountability and enable the identification of individual officers.

The CJI clarified that the larger constitutional questions related to facial recognition technology, surveillance and privacy will be decided by the apex court itself and not by the committee.

The Supreme Court also directed the presentation of CCTV footage to the Committee for investigation.

“The Police Authorities, Para-Military Forces, and other Investigating Agencies, who were directed vide order dated July 28, 2026, to preserve all CCTV footage, drone footage, body-worn camera recordings, videography, wireless communication records, and PCR call logs pertaining to the student protests, and furnish the entire record to the HPEC and extend their full cooperation,” it said.

The court asked the Committee to complete its inquiry and deliberations and submit its ‘First Interim Report’ at the earliest.

Alleged violence, harassment, and molestation of women protesters; provision for medical assistance and compensation for injured protesters; use of prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS and whether Section 152 BNSS was used in a manner that could suppress peaceful political dissent will also be examined by the panel.