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
Pakistan to promote mineral sector at Saudi forum this month with 13 companies
- Delegation will take part in the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh from Jan. 13-15
- Petroleum minister will lead Pakistan, participate in a 90-minute country session
ISLAMABAD: Around 13 Pakistani state-owned and private companies will attend the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Saudi Arabia from Jan. 13 to 15, an official statement said on Friday, as the country seeks to ramp up global engagement to develop its mineral resources.
The FMF is an international conference and investment platform for the mining sector, hosted by mineral-rich countries to attract global investors, companies and governments.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik confirmed Pakistan’s participation in a meeting with the Saudi envoy, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki.
Pakistan hosts one of the world’s largest copper-gold zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan, with an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore, is partly owned by Barrick Gold, which calls it one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits. Its development is expected to boost Pakistan’s struggling economy.
“Upon an invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Minister informed the Ambassador that Pakistan will fully participate in the upcoming Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to be held in Riyadh later this month,” Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said in an official statement.
The Pakistani minister will lead his country’s delegation at the FMF and take part in a 90-minute country showcase session titled “Unleashing Potential: Accelerating Pakistan’s Mineral Revolution” along with local and foreign investors.
Pakistan will also establish a dedicated pavilion to highlight the vast potential of its rich geological landscape to the global mineral community.
The Saudi envoy welcomed Pakistan’s decision to participate in the forum and discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in the minerals and energy sectors during the meeting.
According to the statement, he highlighted the potential for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the minerals and energy sectors, expressing confidence that the FMF would provide a platform to expand collaboration.
Pakistan’s mineral sector, despite its rich reserves of salt, copper, gold and coal, contributes only 3.2 percent to the country’s GDP and just 0.1 percent to global mineral exports.
However, many countries, including the United States, have shown interest in Pakistan’s underdeveloped mineral sector, particularly in copper, gold and other critical resources.
In October, Pakistan dispatched its first-ever shipment of rare earth and critical minerals to the United States, according to a Chicago-based US public relations firm’s report.
