ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Syed Asim Munir spoke out against “negative propaganda” on social media platforms in Pakistan on Wednesday, vowing that the military is prepared to deal with any threat or conspiracy, state media reported.
The army chief was speaking to participants of the Pakistan National Youth Conference in Islamabad. Last month, Munir condemned the spread of disinformation in Pakistan’s cyberspace, saying it was creating an atmosphere of anxiety on social media platforms.
Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and supporters have widely criticized the country’s powerful military, which has ruled the country directly for half of its history, on social media platforms since his ouster from office in April 2022. Khan and the PTI have a strong presence on social media platforms in Pakistan, where the party’s followers have attacked Pakistan’s military for not thwarting Khan’s ouster from office.
“Syed Asim Munir said the armed forces can fight terrorists but they too need cooperation and support of the entire nation,” the state-run Radio Pakistan said. “He said the negative propaganda, being spread on social media, is aimed at creating uncertainty and hopelessness in the country.
The army chief advised people to double-check the news that is disseminated on social media, adding that without proper research, there would be “chaos” in society.
“Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has said the armed forces of Pakistan are fully prepared against any threat and conspiracy,” the state-run media said.
Munir’s comments come weeks before Pakistan heads to the polls on Feb. 8 as it faces overlapping security, economic and political crises.
Experts and digital rights activists have warned against misinformation and the use of AI-generated fake news marring polls in Pakistan and other parts of the world in 2024.
