The suspect accused of displaying explicit content on digital billboards along a busy highway in Karachi’s upscale Defence area has been arrested, and a video statement in which he explains the incident is circulating widely online.
In his statement, the accused said he works for a private advertising company located on Shahra-e-Faisal and earns a monthly salary of Rs35,000. He identified himself as a resident of Liaquatabad. Addressing rumours about his age, he said he is 20 years old, not 17 as previously reported. He also admitted that he does not yet have a national identity card and was hired using his father’s identification documents.
The suspect claimed that the company’s advertisements were operated through a mobile phone and that the explicit video was accidentally played alongside scheduled adverts. When asked where the clip came from, he said it had been received through a WhatsApp group. He added that he had apologised for the incident but initially did not come forward because he feared losing his job.
The incident caused widespread anger and concern among citizens after inappropriate footage appeared briefly on digital advertising screens in Defence. Several people recorded the scenes on their mobile phones and shared them on social media, causing the issue to spread quickly and draw the attention of authorities. Police later detained a suspect and launched an investigation.
According to DIG South Asad Raza, the arrested individual claimed during initial questioning that the video was broadcast accidentally from his mobile device. The incident came to light when inappropriate content suddenly appeared on a surface-mounted device (SMD) billboard on the main highway in the Defence area.
Asif Khan, operations manager of the private advertising company involved, said there might have been an attempt to damage the company’s reputation. He stated that the company itself handed over one of its employees to the police to ensure that the full truth could be determined. Police have registered a case under Section 292 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which criminalises the production, distribution, or public display of obscene material. The law allows for imprisonment, fines, or both, with stricter penalties for repeat offenders.
An FIR was later registered at Gizri Police Station on the complaint of the company’s legal adviser, who reported that at around 9:37 pm on February 4 an explicit video clip was intermittently appearing on a screen near Ayesha Masjid on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, causing public outrage. According to the complaint, company officials reached the site quickly and turned off the display after confirming the issue.
Company representatives said the billboard system is cloud-based and includes security arrangements, but an investigation is ongoing to determine how the incident occurred. When asked about the possibility of hacking, officials did not provide a clear answer but acknowledged that the incident damaged the company’s reputation and triggered a strong public reaction.
Experts note that SMD screens use modern LED technology, where each pixel contains tiny red, green, and blue diodes to produce bright, high-resolution images. These screens are commonly installed on large billboards, shopping centres, stadiums, and busy highways and are controlled through cloud-based or local servers. Specialists warn that if such systems are connected to the internet or Wi-Fi, they can become vulnerable to cyberattacks if security measures are weak, potentially allowing unauthorised access or data breaches.
Police say all aspects of the case are under review and that legal action will be taken if further evidence comes to light.