The official X account of the Government of Punjab was briefly hacked on Tuesday afternoon, causing concern over the security of official social media platforms.
The incident occurred at around 1:00 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time, when an unauthorized post appeared on the government’s verified account.
During the breach, an offensive message was shared on the profile along with links promoting cryptocurrency-related schemes.
The post contained abusive language and quickly drew public attention, raising questions about how the account was accessed and misused. Screenshots of the post were widely shared before action was taken.
Soon after the incident, government authorities confirmed that the account had been fully recovered. Officials stated that all unauthorized posts were deleted and control of the account was restored. They also assured the public that the issue was temporary and had been addressed promptly.
According to officials, immediate steps were taken to secure the account and prevent further misuse. Security settings were reviewed, and access controls were tightened to avoid similar incidents in the future. Authorities emphasized that no other government accounts were affected by the breach.
The government urged the public to ignore the offensive message, clarifying that it did not reflect the views or position of the Punjab administration. Officials also advised citizens to rely only on verified and confirmed information shared after the account was restored.
The incident has highlighted the importance of strong cybersecurity measures for official digital platforms. As government communication increasingly depends on social media, ensuring the safety of these accounts remains a top priority.
Authorities said further investigation is underway to determine how the breach occurred and to strengthen digital security systems going forward.
