LAHORE: Punjab police have launched a crackdown against those spreading hate material on social media and arrested as many as 87 people under the charge.

According to sources in Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Lahore Saturday, the police have also arrested 43 people under 3-Maintainance of Public Order (MPO) and shifted all of those arrested to the prison.

"Around 4000 social media accounts have also been blocked over sharing the hate material," they said adding that 218 people have been put in the fourth schedule to monitor their activities.

It is pertinent to mention here that law enforcing authorities have taken action against those sharing violence and other hate material on social media from time to time.

On July 19, Lahore police apprehended two men for posting their pictures with illegal weapons on social media.

Led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Civil Lines Dost Mohammad, a police party made the arrests during a raid in a Lahore neighbourhood.

The police swung into action after Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Ishfaq Khan took notice of the pictures of the two flaunting illegal weapons going viral on social media platforms.

A triple-two rifle, a pump-action rifle, a pistol and several bullets were recovered from the possession of the arrested men.