Masood Khan, Pakistan\u2019s former Ambassador to the United States, China, and the United Nations and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday urged the nation to prioritize cohesive narrative building, digital literacy, and institutional preparedness to counter the growing threat of disinformation in the age of artificial intelligence.
\nSpeaking at a seminar hosted by the Centre for Law and Security (CLAS), Ambassador Masood Khan warned that Pakistan must brace for the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation in the age of artificial intelligence.
\nHe noted that while disinformation is not new, AI has amplified its impact with unmatched speed and sophistication.
\nReflecting on his long association with internet governance since his role as Chair of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) on Internet Governance in 2005, Ambassador Khan underscored how disinformation, historically considered a \u201clegitimate weapon of war,\u201d has now evolved into a powerful strategic tool in modern conflicts.
\nHe cited examples from global and regional history, including wars between India and Pakistan and the information operations surrounding the global war on terror, to highlight how narrative-building has always played a central role in national security. \u201cToday, AI-driven content, deep fakes, and algorithmic manipulation have made perception management a battlefield in itself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Khan elaborated on the distinction between information warfare and disinformation, noting that the former involves building a nation\u2019s narrative and legitimacy during peace and conflict, while the latter involves the deliberate distortion of facts. \u201cDisinformation feeds on speed. Before a false story can be corrected, millions have already seen and believed it,\u201d he observed. He warned that unchecked disinformation campaigns could weaken national unity and distort public understanding of geopolitical realities.
\nOutlining the strategic response, Ambassador Khan called for \u201cauthentic actions on the ground, systematic narrative-building, and national cohesion from north to south, east to west.\u201d He said that effective counter-disinformation strategy must begin with internal nation building unifying the country politically, economically and socially and must be supported by state capacity and citizen awareness. \u201cIf a nation is fragmented, its narrative will collapse under external manipulation,\u201d he cautioned.
\nHighlighting Pakistan\u2019s rapid digitalization and growing academic base in new technologies, Ambassador Khan praised the country\u2019s progress, noting that 275 universities are now teaching emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain, and the internet of things.
\nHe emphasized that Pakistan\u2019s large freelancer community and global digital connectivity position it well to build technological capacity, but warned that \u201cdigital advancement must go hand-in-hand with information integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Citing recent information conflicts with India, Ambassador Khan contrasted Pakistan\u2019s disciplined and credible communication with what he termed \u201cIndia\u2019s exaggerated and farcical propaganda.\u201d He noted that India\u2019s disinformation attempts during recent crises backfired, as even Indian citizens and global media questioned official claims. \u201cOur people remained confident and composed because our moral, legal, and political position was stronger; we were defending ourselves against aggression,\u201d he said.
\nAmbassador Khan also urged think tanks and research centres to collaborate in formulating a legal and institutional framework for countering disinformation and developing expertise in \u201clawfare\u201d the use of legal tools to fight information warfare. \u201cWe must master both the benign and malign dimensions of emerging technologies to build narratives in peace and to protect truth in conflict,\u201d he said, stressing that narrative discipline, strategic communication, and digital literacy were as vital as conventional military strength in modern geopolitics.
\nConcluding his remarks, Ambassador Masood Khan stated that Pakistan, as a nuclear power and an emerging economy, \u201chas no existential choice but to invest in digital resilience.\u201d He urged policymakers, academics, and media professionals to recognize that in the evolving information age, \u201cwars are no longer fought only with weapons, but with words, algorithms, and perceptions.\u201d He closed with a call for unity, awareness, and responsibility: \u201cLet us ensure that truth, not technology, defines our destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Masood Khan, Pakistan\u2019s former Ambassador to the United States, China, and the United Nations and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday urged the nation to prioritize cohesive narrative building, digital literacy, and institutional preparedness to counter the growing threat of disinformation in the age of artificial intelligence. Speaking at a seminar hosted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":512353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-512339","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n