ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister on Friday urged the United Nations to investigate a vast 15-year-long global disinformation campaign to undermine Pakistan and serve Indian interests that has been exposed this week by EU DisinfoLab.
EU DisinfoLab, an independent non-profit focused on tackling disinformation campaigns targeting the EU and its member states, says the network it has exposed was designed primarily to “discredit Pakistan internationally” and influence decision-making at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and European Parliament.
Last year, EU DisinfoLab uncovered a network of 265 fake media in 65 countries reproducing “negative content” about Pakistan online. The network was created by actors behind “EP Today”, a fake European Parliament magazine active in Brussels since 2006.
Wednesday’s report, titled Indian Chronicles, revealed that the operation was spread over at least 116 countries and had targeted members of the European Parliament and the United Nations.
“We urge the UN human rights machinery ... the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ... as well as human rights experts to take a serious look as to how a prestigious platform such as the human rights council was thus misused,” Shah Mahmood Qureshi said at a press conference.
In a nutshell, EU DisinfoLab has said the 15 year-long operation running since 2005 had resurrected more than ten UN Human Rights Council accredited NGOs; resurrected Prof. Louis B. Sohn, a prominent figure in human rights who died in 2006; carried out several instances of identity thefts; and used more than 750 fake media outlets, covering 119 countries; and over 550 registered domain names.
EU DisinfoLab did not say if the operation had official complicity of the Indian government.
“Our open-source investigation shows that the operation led by the Srivastava Group and amplified by ANI [Indian news agency] began in 2005 and is still ongoing at this date,” EU DisinfoLab said. “The operation’s mission is to discredit nations in conflict with India in Asia, in particular Pakistan but also China to a lesser extent.”
The Pakistani foreign minister said that it was necessary that government-owned and sponsored organizations were scrutinized and denied UN platforms if they are were found “spreading fake news and hate.”
Qureshi said the disinformation network had manipulated EU parliamentarians and abused the legal institution by using the EU letterhead.
“We also urge EU authorities to take notice of this massive campaign against Pakistan and not let their legal institutions and frameworks be abused in such a blatant manner,” the foreign minister said. “Additionally, we call on the EU parliament to begin a credible investigation into the manipulation of the EU parliament and its legislative process by these fake organizations involved in anti-Pakistan propaganda.”
Pakistan urges UN, EU to investigate India-linked disinformation campaign
https://arab.news/pysj5
Pakistan urges UN, EU to investigate India-linked disinformation campaign
- 15-year-long operation’s mission was to discredit nations in conflict with India in Asia, in particular Pakistan, EU DisinfoLab says
- More than 750 fake media outlets, covering 119 countries and over 550 registered domain names used in the operation
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
