Arya News - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said this during a press conference in Lahore, where he said he believed that “since the past few days, past few weeks, 90 percent news on social media is fake."
LAHORE – Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday that the information ministry, along with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), would be taking action “on a massive scale” against fake news.
The minister said this during a press conference in Lahore, where he said he believed that “since the past few days, past few weeks, 90 per cent news on social media is fake”.
Saying so, Naqvi also clarified that he believed in the freedom of expression and liberty to criticise.
He also highlighted that in case news was reported by a platform in the mainstream media, a complaint could be registered with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Similarly, he continued, a reporter associated with a news outlet would be answerable to their director news or the bureau chief in such a scenario.
“But, on social media one can post any photo, make news as per their wish and post it,” he said, adding that he had spoken to the information minister today morning, and “we will not allow this”.
Naqvi added, “If you have evidence, you can report any story. But it cannot be allowed that you say whatever you want on social media, make any allegation against anyone, [declare] any living person dead and [declare] a dead person alive. This cannot happen.”
The information ministry, along with the NCCIA, would carry out a “crackdown on this on a massive scale”, he said.
“We will not allow you to spread fake news across the country and create panic […] in the garb of journalism.”
The interior minister then went on describe “who is a journalist for us”.
“Journalists are responsible, those who are part of the national media. They work as part of a system. Every institution has a system of check-and-balance and an editorial board,” he said, adding that individuals working as part of these systems “are journalists for us”.
On the other hand, those who spread fake news were “not journalists for us. We are very clear on this”, Naqvi further stated.
He went on to say: “Whether you produce vlogs or a podcast, […] run news responsibly.”
The minister once again emphasised that journalists and freedom of expression held significance for the government, but the spreading of fake news could not be permitted.
Later, when a journalist asked him whether a regulatory body would be established in connection with the new measure announced by Naqvi today, the minister replied: “I think one is already being established.”
He also asserted that this measure was “not against journalists”, but only those spreading fake news. In this connection, he gave the hypothetical example of “someone saying that an ABC person has died”.
He added that after making such a statement, one would have to take responsibility.
Answering another question, he said the action taken by the information ministry and NCCIA “will not be an operation or a crackdown, but simply an action against anyone spreading fake news without any evidence”.
Asked about “a political party running a campaign from India” — apparently, a reference to PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters giving interviews to Indian outlets recently — Naqvi said: “I want people to get exposed. Others should know who can go to what extent. The country’s integrity is a boundary that you don’t cross and join the enemy. Let it happen.”
In this context, Naqvi was also asked about criticism directed toward Chief of Army Staff Fied Marshal Asim Munir.
He replied, “The state is clear […] we will not spare them. The other day someone was saying in London that there was a dispute within the institutions, someone else says something about our journalists. This will have to stop.”
Without naming anyone, he added: “Those sitting out there, let me tell you, you are also coming back soon. And if you think you will get protection here, that is not possible. We will soon bring you back, and you will be answerable.”
Afghan migrants
At the outset of the press conference, Naqvi said the authorities were facing difficulties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with regards to sending Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan. This was not the case in the three other provinces, he added.
Afghan migrants, he claimed, were being “protected in KP”. He further alleged that the federal government had de-notified camps of Afghan refugees, but several of them remained operational in KP.
Highlighting the involvement of Afghans in terror activities, he mentioned that terrorists who attacked Federal Constabulary headquarters a few days ago — ostensbily a reference to an attack in Peshawar on November 24 — were also Afghans.
Naqvi added that station house officers (SHO) in police were now being assigned the task to identify and locate “illegal Afghans” in their respective areas so that they could be sent back to Afghanistan. Instructions had also been issued to inspector generals for the collection of data via SHOs.
“Our message to the KP government is also that it is important at this time to prioritise your country over politics,” he said, adding that the KP government would have to ensure the implementation of the federal government’s decision “as we cannot afford any more bomb blasts”.
He added, “My message to illegal Afghans is to leave yourself respectfully. Because if you get caught now, we will not just send you back.” Without further elaborating on this statement, Naqvi also warned that if any Afghan returned to Pakistan after being sent to Afghanistan, they would be arrested.
Asked whether the Centre was mulling going to the court against KP government over the alleged non-cooperation on the matter of Afghan, Naqvi said multiple options were being worked on.
“When it comes to national security, it cannot happen that a province makes it own policy. We will not allow this.”
Offloading of passengers
On the matter of officials denying boarding to passengers travelling abroad, Naqvi maintained that just 50-70 people were being offloaded daily across the country.
“I have asked the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to share this data so that people how realise how an agent mafia is running a campaign on social media. Because obviously, they are the ones who will actually face consequences in this matter,” he said.
The minister said that there could be some negligence on part of the FIA, but travellers having all necessary documents were not being barred from travelling abroad.
He went on to say that action against travellers with insufficient documents was necessary as “we are trying to improve the ranking of our passport”.
Speculation about notification
Naqvi was also asked about a “notification” and the speculation about it on social media.
It seemed to be a reference to the delay in the issuance of the notification for the Chief of Defence Forces’ (CDF) appointment. Observers described the delay in CDF’s notification as “baffling”, noting that it has signalled to the opposition that something may be amiss in civil–military relations.
In his response, Naqvi, seemingly referring to the speculation on social media, said: “Let them do it”.
He then went on to explain that “a new institution is being established after an amendment in the Constitution. They want things to happen at the press of a button, but things don’t work that way. A system has to be established, and it takes days, hours. It’s not that you press a button and it will become a part of the Constitution”.