ISLAMABAD: The Centre for Development and Stability (CDS), organized seminar titled: ‘Disinformation: The Undermining Force Within—Revealing its Structural Threats to Society and National Security’ in Islamabad on Wednesday at the Ripha University Campus, Evacuee Trust Complex, Islamabad. The aim of this theme was to analyze the threats of disinformation to national security with the goal of providing viable solutions. A large number of youth delegates, renowned media personalities, and intellectuals attended the seminar.
The session was chaired by Dr Irfan Ashraf, Director General (DG), CDS and opened the ceremony with keynote address. Joining him as panelists were the Defence Analyst and Patron-in -Chief of CDS Brig (R) Asif Haroon Raja, and Reham Khan, senior Journalist and Human Rights Activist.
Dr Ashraf after passing his keynote address delivered presentation on the concept of disinformation and shed light on its structural threats to the national security. While shedding light on the negative impacts of disinformation, Dr Ashraf said that disinformation has become a serious threat to Pakistan’s national security. For instance, in the recent past, we have experienced that some social media influencers played into the hands of hostile agencies of other countries, spreading fake and anti-state narratives to create chaos and anarchy in Pakistan.
Dr Ashraf highlighted the recent examples of how Adil Raja, Moeed Pirzada and Shaheen Sabahi’s anti-state narratives provoked the people to aroused the anti-state sentiments. He stated that they were playing into the hands of international hostile agencies. Furthermore, he said that the imprisonment of Imran Khan is being exploited by Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi and others to provoke people and create chaos and anarchy.
Following Dr Ashraf’s insights, the Patron-in -Chief of CDS Brig (R) Asif Haroon Raja, delivered his presentation on “Information War, Social Media, Hybrid War and Implication.” While bestowing his presentation Brig (R) Haroon briefly explained the historical perspectives and modern manifestation of hybrid warfare. Moreover, Brig (R) Haroon also explicated on the implication of information Warfare and recommended solutions that how can Pakistan defend itself against threat of information war.
Senior Journalist and Human Rights Activist, Reham Khan delivered her keynote address and underscored the crucial role of government and national institutions in thwarting the inimical designs of country’s enemies who aim to create political instability and anarchy.
She said that fake accounts are attempting to create a narrative in favour of a particular political party and are anti-Pakistan while operating from abroad. She underlined that young people should reject propaganda and play their role in the development of the country.
The session concluded with a note of thanks from Dr. Ashraf, DG CDS, along with the message that we all must be vigilant while listening to any anti-state narrative and news. He emphasized the need to identify news before spreading it, whether it is fake or based on ground reality.
