Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday said that not enough was being done against “digital terrorism” under the law, allowing fake news and propaganda to spread in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, the military’s spokesperson said that the first line of defence against “digital terrorism” was the country’s law.
“It is the country’s law that has to control and curb digital terrorism [but] unfortunately, you can see that lies, propaganda — particularly on social media — fake news and doctored images continue to spread while confusion is created in the public’s mind,” he said.
“But the law is not taking its course against [digital terrorism] the way it should.”
On the other hand, he said, the Pakistan Army was taking the matter very seriously.
“Which is why, whoever — whether in Pakistan or abroad and irrespective of their position — is found spreading propaganda against the Pakistan Army, creating a distance between the army and the people, or is found to be involved in spreading fake news, the army will take necessary legal action against it, and there is a whole process for it,” he explained.
The term “digital terrorism” entered the country’s political vernacular quite recently when a top military moot used it on May 30.
There are no laws in Pakistan for “digital terrorists” or “digital terrorism”. Section 8 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 deals with cyberterrorism.
When asked about reports of ongoing talks with a certain political party and the army’s position on the May 9 riots, the DG ISPR replied that the army’s “very clear” stance was already stated during a press conference on May 7.
“Neither has there been any change in this [position] nor there will be,” he asserted.
Last week, PTI founder Imran Khan — after experiencing months of strained relations with the army — in an apparent softening of stance categorically said that his party was ready for talks with the military establishment.
Meanwhile, the military spokesperson denounced the rights movement Baloch Yakjehti Committee and its “so-called leadership” as a “proxy of terrorist organisations and criminal mafias and nothing more than that”.
He alleged that the “proxy” was tasked to defame and spread propaganda against law enforcement agencies taking action against smugglers, criminals, and the “illegal spectrum”, as well as make development projects in the province controversial.
“The method of action is through gathering a mob through foreign funding and a foreign stance, persuade innocent citizens around that mob, challenge the state’s writ … and feign innocence when the state responds.”
He termed the Baloch National Gathering a “drama” that was concocted in the past few days in Gwadar.
The BYC kicked off a protest in Gwadar on July 28, following arrests and deadly clashes with security forces, against alleged human rights violations and exploitation of the province’s resources.
Prominent leaders were arrested in the ensuing days, prompting widespread protests. The BYC signed an agreement with the provincial government on August 2 and agreed to end the protest following the fulfilment of its demands, including the release of all those arrested. However, distrust between the government and BYC leadership deepened after fresh recriminations over the killing of a protester in Noshki and demonstrations by the group are still ongoing.
The military spokesperson alleged that the protesters blocked roads, pelted pilgrims with stones, burnt tyres and attacked the Frontier Corps, claiming that one soldier was martyred by the mob.
“This proxy … was exposed under the Baloch Raji Muchi,” he said.
Lt Gen Chaudhry also briefed the nation on the country’s security situation, effective measures taken against terrorism and the professional activities of the military, particularly the counter-terrorism operations the security forces performed during the year.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) conducted 23,622 small and large-scale intelligence-based operations in the country,” the DG ISPR said. “Out of the total, 2,045 operations were carried out over the last 15 days.”
He added that “24 terrorists” were eliminated during operations conducted over the last 15 days.
“It is important to mention that to fight terrorism, the Pakistan Army, intelligence, police and other law enforcement agencies conduct more than a hundred operations daily,” he said.
Speaking about the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), he said the government had recently notified the group as “Fitna al-Khawarij”.
“From now on, we will use the term Fitna al-Khawarij to refer to the TTP, while all terrorists associated with the group would be termed khariji (outcasts)”, he said.
“This is because it is a mischief-making group; it’s neither an ideology nor has anything to do with Islam or Pakistan,” he asserted.
He said that 139 soldiers embraced martyrdom during the first seven months of the year,
“The entire nation pays tribute to the brave martyrs and their families,” he said.
“This shows that the Pakistani security forces, law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies were entirely focused on making the country’s internal and border security certain and lasting.”
He further said that the fight against terrorism would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated.
