Time to curb digital terror, says Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday emphasised the need for countering digital terrorism which had become a big challenge, as the agents sitting abroad were spitting venom against Pakistan on the social media.

“All of our efforts will go waste if we do not counter this campaign on the digital and social media from distorting facts through the use of false narratives and questioning Pakistan,” he said while chairing a meeting of the central apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) here.

Federal ministers, chief of army staff, chief ministers of the four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan, prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, chief secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting.

Shehbaz said a fake narrative of unimaginable proportions was built on the social media through distortion of facts after the aborted invasion on Islamabad in recent weeks.

“Everyone has seen as to how a fake propaganda was launched on the Shahadat of Rangers. Those wanting to see the sacrifices of army, Rangers and law-enforcement agencies go waste have had a big misunderstanding. As a result of these sacrifices and with unity of thought and commitment, we will eliminate this Fitna,” the prime minister maintained.

He said the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) was augmenting efforts for implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) adding that Punjab was leading, while the other provinces were also making contributions.

He said training, use of modern technology and merit-based inductions in police were very important factors when the enemy had set its targets.

He said the time had come to eliminate Fitna Al Khwarij root and branch through coordinated efforts of the federal government, provinces and army, enabling the country to grow apace in all sectors.

Shehbaz said he would have no personal like and dislike if a coordinated plan was chalked out keeping in view the national interest.

“I believe one hundred percent that there will be no difficulty if we make coordinated efforts to eliminate Fitna Al Khwarij,” he said.

The prime minister noted that a cross-border attack from Afghanistan was given a befitting response and was repulsed saying the government was also aware of the foreign hands and countries involved in sabotage acts in Balochistan.

He said the agenda of Pakistan’s progress discussed in the SIFC meeting on Thursday could only materialise if the law & order situation across the country, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan improved.

Shehbaz said Pakistan had assumed its responsibilities as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) adding that the country will fully play its role in international diplomacy.

He also congratulated the foreign minister and his team for their efforts on the election of Pakistan as a non-permanent member of the UNSC by an overwhelming majority.

Earlier, addressing the meeting, which was telecast live, the prime minister talked about the storm created by social media on the Shahadat of Rangers’ personnel in Islamabad on November 26. He said the apex committee of NAP had decided to collectively combat terrorism to ensure peace in the country.

Talking to the media after the meeting, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said the prime minister should have avoided making comments on November 26 events.

Gandapur was of the view that any reservations should be expressed during the dialogue. He said during the meeting, the prime minister said no bullets were fired on November 26 but such comments should have been avoided.

Meanwhile, criticising the PTI, Ahsan Iqbal said a political party had depressed the nation, denting its self-image. However, we will have to get out of this negativity and join hands to help the country forge ahead towards progress and prosperity, he added.

“Gandapur says 45 PTI people are missing and 13 were killed on November 26 but they are unable to provide the list. I also ask them as to who those 278 protesters were who were killed,” he asked.

Sana said when the prime minister stated these facts should not be distorted on the social media, a debate was generated and his remarks were termed inappropriate.

On the demand for judicial commission on November 26 events, he asked how such a commission could be constituted when neither an FIR nor a complaint had been received.

With regard to the release of any undertrial like Imran Khan, he said neither the prime minister nor the chief minister enjoyed such authority.

Speaking in the programme, PTI spokesman Shaikh Waqas Akram said if the prime minister distorted the facts, then Gandapur would term the same inappropriate. He said the prime minister was responsible for the killing of people and questioned as to who gave powers under Article 245 of the Constitution.

He said the start of dialogue with the government did not mean that they should forget the martyrs of November 26.