ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Friday identified violent non-state actors and the spread of disinformation as significant challenges to global peace while addressing a gathering in the federal capital, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting international stability.
The army chief made the remarks during a special session of the Margalla Dialogue, an annual conference that convenes policymakers, scholars and experts to discuss critical national, regional and global issues, where he highlighted Pakistan’s role in fostering global peace.
Organized by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), a local think tank, the conference provided a platform for the army chief to emphasize Pakistan’s contributions and express concerns about the issue of cross-border militancy.
“Terrorism by violent non-state actors and state-sponsored entities remains a significant global challenge,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported him as saying.
“We expect the Afghan interim government to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against Pakistan and to take strict measures in this regard,” he added.
The army chief’s statement comes against the backdrop of a surge in militant violence in Pakistan’s western provinces bordering Afghanistan.
Officials in Islamabad have frequently accused Afghan authorities of “facilitating” cross-border attacks by armed factions, such as the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which target civilians and security personnel— an allegation Kabul denies.
APP reported the army chief stated that Pakistan would not become part of any global conflict and would continue to play its role in promoting international peace and stability.
General Munir acknowledged the role of technology in disseminating information, though he cautioned that it also facilitated the rapid spread of disinformation.
He asserted that without comprehensive laws and regulations, disinformation and hate speech could destabilize political and social structures.
“Absence of proper regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies worldwide,” he added.
The army chief expressed optimism about the country’s future, noting that about 63 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30, adding that the country was endowed with immense natural resources and had emerged as a major global agricultural producer.
He highlighted Pakistan’s significant role in the global freelancing industry and noted that its geographical location and seaports could position it as a vital trade hub for countries around the world.
Pakistan’s army chief flags non-state actors, disinformation as threats to global peace
https://arab.news/vmr7h
Pakistan’s army chief flags non-state actors, disinformation as threats to global peace
- General Asim Munir says Pakistan expects Kabul not to allow its soil to be used for militancy
- He says absence of regulation over freedom of expression is deteriorating moral values
Pakistan to launch AI screening in January to target fake visas, agent networks
- New system to flag forged-document travelers before boarding and pre-verify eligibility
- Move comes amid increasing concern over fake visas, fraudulent agents, forged papers
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will roll out an AI-based immigration screening system in Islamabad from January to detect forged documents and prevent illegal overseas travel, the government said on Thursday.
The move comes amid increasing concern over fake visas, fraudulent agents and forged papers, with officials warning that such activity has contributed to deportations, human smuggling and reputational damage abroad. Pakistan has also faced scrutiny over irregular migration flows and labor-market vulnerability, particularly in the Gulf region, prompting calls for more reliable pre-departure checks and digital verification.
The reforms include plans to make the protector-stamp system — the clearance required for Pakistani citizens seeking overseas employment — “foolproof”, tighten labor-visa documentation, and cancel the passports of deportees to prevent them from securing visas again. The government has sought final recommendations within seven days, signalling a rapid enforcement timeline.
“To stop illegal immigration, an AI-based app pilot project is being launched in Islamabad from January,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said following a high-level meeting chaired by him and Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
Naqvi said the new screening technology is intended to determine travelers’ eligibility in advance, reducing airport off-loads and closing loopholes exploited by traffickers and unregistered agents.
The interior minister added that Pakistan remains in contact with foreign governments to improve the global perception and ranking of the green passport, while a uniform international driving license will be issued through the National Police Bureau.
The meeting also approved zero-tolerance measures against fraudulent visa brokers, while the Overseas Pakistanis Ministry pledged full cooperation to streamline the emigration workflow. Minister Hussain said transparency in the protector process has become a “basic requirement,” particularly for labor-migration cases.
Pakistan’s current immigration system has long struggled with document fraud, with repeated cases of passengers grounded at airports due to forged papers or agent-facilitated travel. The launch of an AI screening layer, if implemented effectively, could shift the burden from manual counters to pre-flight verification, allowing authorities to identify risk profiles before departure rather than after arrival abroad.
The reforms also come at a moment when labor mobility is tightening globally. Gulf states have begun demanding greater documentation assurance for imported labor, while European and Asian destinations have increased scrutiny following trafficking arrests and irregular-entry routes from South Asia. For Pakistan, preventing fraudulent departures is increasingly linked to protecting genuine workers, reducing deportation cycles and stabilizing the country’s overseas employment footprint.
