ISLAMABAD: Pakistani army chief General Syed Asim Munir on Thursday spoke out against social media users in the country, saying online platforms were being used to spread “anarchy,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
Munir’s remarks come days after the military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, in a veiled reference to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of jailed ex-premier Imran Khan, accused “digital terrorists” of making the military’s anti-militancy efforts controversial using social media platforms.
Khan’s popularity, which persists even from behind bars, has been fueled by social media, including driving Pakistan’s young people to turn out to vote in Feb. 8 elections in which Khan-backed candidates won the greatest number of seats despite having to contest as independents after the PTI was deprived of its iconic bat symbol by the election commission.
Khan, who is widely believed to have been propelled to power with the backing of the military in 2018, was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote he blames was orchestrated by the military in cahoots with his political rivals. Both deny the charge. Since his ouster, his party has faced a state-backed crackdown that has only seemed to bolster support for Khan and which has been publicized widely on social media, along with unprecedented criticism of heavy hand in politics. The current military leadership says it no longer interferes in politics.
“He [Munir] said smugglers and mafia are supporting terrorism while anarchy is also being spread through social media,” Radio Pakistan said, reporting on the army chief’s comments at a conference in Islamabad.
The army chief’s comments come amid a ban on X in Pakistan since February when a government official held a press conference and made confessions of rigging in the general election. The government also has reportedly begun installing a nationwide firewall to regulate Internet usage, control access to social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, and empower the government to identify IP addresses associated with what it calls “anti-state propaganda.”
Speaking at Thursday’s ceremony, the army chief resolved to give a “befitting response” if anyone attempting to create “unrest and chaos” in Pakistan.
“No power in the world can harm Pakistan because this country has been created to sustain,” Radio Pakistan said, quoting Munir.
Speaking about a surge in militancy in Pakistan, the army chief urged Pakistani religious scholars to encourage tolerance.
“Spreading unrest is the biggest crime and the Pakistan Army under the ordains of Allah Almighty is striving to eliminate unrest,” the army chief said. “We do not consider such people as Pakistanis who do not accept Shariah [Islamic law] and the constitution.”
Army chief says ‘anarchy’ being spread through social media in Pakistan
https://arab.news/nt4z7
Army chief says ‘anarchy’ being spread through social media in Pakistan
- Popularity of jailed ex-PM Imran Khan has been fueled largely by young social media users
- X has been banned in Pakistan since February and government is reportedly installing a firewall
ADB approves $381 million for climate-resilient agriculture, social services in Punjab
- Support will upgrade Punjab’s education and nursing systems, improving learning outcomes and health care capacity
- Package includes $124 million for agriculture, $107 million for STEM schooling and $150 million for nursing reforms
KARACHI: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Saturday it approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, with a major focus on building climate resilience after monsoon floods this year caused widespread destruction across the country’s most populous province.
The package includes concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, STEM education, and nursing sector reforms.
ADB said the investments are intended to help Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s population and a key contributor to its economy, recover from climate shocks and transition toward more sustainable and resilient development.
“Investing in education, health, and agricultural mechanization will play a transformative role in driving the growth of Punjab, a vital pillar of Pakistan’s economy,” said ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan. “These strategic investments will modernize agriculture, enhance human capital, and significantly improve livelihoods for millions of people across Punjab.”
The bank approved $120 million in concessional loans and a $4 million grant for the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project, which will support 220,000 rural farm households.
The program aims to reduce climate vulnerability by shifting farmers toward modern, low-emission machinery, provide alternative livelihoods for agricultural workers and train 15,000 women in new skills. It will also introduce a financing model to help small farmers access advanced equipment.
Punjab produces most of Pakistan’s wheat, rice, and maize but still relies on outdated machinery, contributing to grain losses and routine burning of crop residues, a major source of air pollution, said ADB.
It noted the new project will promote modern mechanization, including rice harvesters, to address these issues.
ADB also approved $107 million for the Responsive, Ready, and Resilient STEM Secondary Education in Punjab Program, including a $7 million grant from the Asian Development Fund.
The results-based program aims to modernize secondary schooling by expanding inclusive STEM education, improving access and quality across the province.
A further $150 million concessional loan was approved for the Punjab Nursing and Health Workforce Reform Program, which will upgrade nursing curricula, develop disaster-resilient training facilities, strengthen workforce governance, and introduce digital human-resource systems.
The program seeks to expand the pool of qualified nurses to strengthen health service delivery and meet rising national and global demand.
Key components include the establishment of three centers of excellence in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi, equipped with simulation labs, digital learning platforms, and gender-responsive hostels.
ADB said it remains committed to supporting climate-resilient and inclusive development across Asia and the Pacific through innovative financing tools and partnerships.
