Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday said that not enough was being done against “digital terrorism” under the law, allowing fake news and propaganda to spread in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, the military’s spokesperson said that the first line of defense against “digital terrorism” was the country’s law.
“It is the country’s law that has to control and curb digital terrorism [but] unfortunately, you can see that lies, propaganda — particularly on social media — fake news and doctored images continue to spread while confusion is created in the public’s mind,” he said.
“But the law is not taking its course against [digital terrorism] the way it should.”
On the other hand, he said, the Pakistan Army was taking the matter very seriously.
“Which is why, whoever — whether in Pakistan or abroad and irrespective of their position — is found spreading propaganda against the Pakistan Army, creating a vacuum between the army and the people, or is found to be involved in spreading fake news, the army will take necessary legal action against it, and there is a whole process for it,” he explained.
When asked about reports of ongoing talks with a certain political party and the army’s position on the May 9 riots, the DG ISPR replied that the army’s “very clear” stance had already been stated during a press conference it conducted on May 7, 2023.
“Neither has there been any change in this [stance] nor there will be,” he asserted.
BYC a ‘proxy of terrorist organisations, criminal mafias’
Meanwhile, the military spokesperson harshly denounced the rights movement Baloch Yakjehti Committee and its “so-called leadership” as a “proxy of terrorist organisations and criminal mafias and nothing more than that”.
He alleged that the “proxy” was tasked to defame and spread propaganda against law enforcement agencies taking action against smugglers, criminals, and the “illegal spectrum”, as well as make development projects in the province controversial.
“The method of action is through gathering a mob through foreign funding and a foreign stance, persuade innocent citizens around that mob, challenge the state’s writ … and feign innocence when the state responds.”
He termed the Baloch National Gathering a “drama” that was concocted in the past few days in Gwadar.
The military spokesperson alleged that the protesters blocked roads, pelted pilgrims, burnt tires, and attacked the Frontier Corps, claiming that one soldier was martyred by the mob.
“This proxy … was exposed under the Baloch Raji Muchi,” he said.
Security forces conducted 23,622 intelligence-based operations in 2924
Lt Gen Chaudhry also briefed the nation on the country’s security situation, effective measures taken against terrorism, and the professional activities of the Pakistan Army, particularly the counter-terrorism operations that the Pakistani security forces performed during the current year.
“The security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) conducted 23,622 small and large-scale intelligence-based operations in the country”, the DG ISPR said. “Out of the total, 2,045 operations were carried out over the last 15 days.”
He added that during the operations conducted over the last 15 days, “24 terrorists” were eliminated.
“It is important to mention that to fight terrorism, the Pakistan Army, intelligence, police, and other law enforcement agencies conduct more than a hundred operations daily,” he said.
Speaking about the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), he said that the Government of Pakistan had recently notified the group as “Fitna al-Khawarij”.
“From now on, we will use the term Fitna al-Khawarij to refer to the TTP, while all terrorists associated with the group would be termed khariji (outcasts)”, he said.
“This is because it is a mischief-making group; it’s neither an ideology nor has anything to do with Islam or Pakistan”, he asserted.
He explained that during the first seven months of the year 2024, 139 soldiers of the Pakistani security forces embraced martyrdom.
“The entire nation pays tribute to the brave martyrs and their families,” he said.
“This shows that the Pakistani security forces, law enforcement agencies, and intelligence agencies were entirely focused on making the country’s internal and border security certain and lasting”.
He further said that Pakistan’s fight against terrorism will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated.
Social projects
Aside from counter-terrorism and security operations, the security forces, particularly the Pakistan Army had been actively involved in socioeconomic projects, the DG ISPR said.
“[The army had been engaged in] many social projects, including those related to education, health, social welfare and development, economic self-reliance, and other collaborative projects between the army, the federation, and the provincial government”, Lt Gen Chaudhry said.
He added that the Pakistan Army was particularly focused on the underdeveloped areas of KP and Balochistan, along with Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and other areas.
More to follow.
