\u201cSocial media is being used to create an environment of chaos, despair, and panic,\u201d he says
\nIslamabad
\nChief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said that social media is rife with fabricated claims against the state of Pakistan as he came down hard on anti-national elements. \u201cSocial media is being used to create an environment of chaos, despair, and panic. Through fake news, an impression is being created that the state is losing its [writ],\u201d the army chief said in an address to the National Farmers Convention in Islamabad on Friday.
\nLike many countries, Pakistan is also grappling with the growing challenge of fake news on social media \u2014 masquerading as truths and spreading like wildfire. The reports, despite being unfounded, are fuelled by emotional appeals and designed to existing societal divisions.
\nA detailed report issued earlier this year by EU DisinfoLab showed that Indian media outlets have also been part of a smear campaign against Pakistan by quoting non-existent organisations, journalists, and bloggers.
\nThis is not restricted to other states being involved in smear campaigns against Pakistan and its institutions, but investigations have also revealed that a political party \u2014 the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) \u2014 was also involved in using state resources for spreading false propaganda against state institutions.
\nIn his address to the farmers, the army chief further said that \u201crumours\u201d and \u201cnegative impressions\u201d were being spread about Pakistan.
\n\u201cBut you should know that only two states were established on the bases of the Kalima: the state of Madina and Pakistan,\u201d COAS Munir said, emphasising divine backing to the country. He added that Pakistan is rich in resources; it has glaciers, rivers, mountains, and fertile land that produces some of the world\u2019s best rice, fruits like kinnow and mangoes, and treasures like granite, gold, and copper.
\nIn the 1960s, he said, Pakistan was one of the fastest-growing countries in Asia, but \u201cwe forgot the three golden principles of the Quaid-i-Azam \u2014 faith, unity, and discipline \u2014 which is why we saw a decline\u201d.
\nMoving on, Gen Munir said that agriculture and animal husbandry were professions of almost every prophet because they included discipline, hardship, growth, and patience, which resulted in countless rewards.
\nThe army chief mentioned that the driving force behind the Green Pakistan Initiative was to boost agriculture.
\nA major chunk of the initiative\u2019s income will go to the provinces, while the rest will be kept for farmers and agricultural research, he said, noting that the \u201crole of the army in this is only to serve the people and farmers\u201d.
\nThe army chief added that agriculture malls will be organised in districts, where all kinds of agriculture-related facilities will be available to the farmers.
\nCOAS Munir added that the provision of easy agricultural credit, cold storage chain, climate change-resistant seeds, and genetically engineered livestock will be ensured for the farmers.
\n\u201cAll types of mafia will be crushed together with the nation,\u201d the army chief added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cSocial media is being used to create an environment of chaos, despair, and panic,\u201d he says Islamabad Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said that social media is rife with fabricated claims against the state of Pakistan as he came down hard on anti-national elements. \u201cSocial media is being used to create […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[930],"class_list":{"0":"post-377516","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-coas"},"yoast_head":"\n