Fake news create chaos, destruction in society: president

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday said Islam strongly discouraged the spread of fake and unverified news as it created panic, chaos and destruction in society.

The president expressed these views while addressing the convocation ceremony, at the National Defence University (NDU). He pointed out that the world used fake news as a tool to justify wars against other nations.

The president lamented the fact that enmities among nations, in the past, had been created based on fake news. He said that hundreds of thousands of innocent people were killed in Iraq based on the fake reports of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The president said that Pakistan, in the rapidly changing world, can emerge as a power by gaining stronghold in the upcoming ‘global intellectual revolution’. He said that the exponential transformation of the cyber world had witnessed a shift in strategies – relating to both military and public domains that demanded a readiness on part of the country to timely grasp the situation and take serious steps to strengthen the cyber-security of the country.

Highlighting the importance of Information Technology (IT), the president emphasised the fact that Pakistan needed to take advantage of the 4th Industrial Revolution which would enormously help in the socio-economic development of the country.

The president said, “For Pakistan, the shortest way to success was contemporary intellectual change. I am greatly optimistic about Pakistan, which has the capacity to show its power through advanced learning, and decisions based on compassion and morality,” he said.

The course was attended by the military officers of Pakistan, and other friendly countries including Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.

President Alvi said the people of Pakistan had the will to turn the tide in their favour during challenging times. He recalled that in response to India’s “so-called peaceful” nuclear explosion in 1974, Pakistan in short period of time joined the list of nuclear countries for the purpose of deterrence due to its strong resolve and determination. “This shows that Pakistani nation can do miracles by pursuing its goals with a clear intent”, he added.

The president expressed the confidence that Pakistan would rise among the comity of nations with the help of contemporary knowledge. Referring to the illegal uranium trade in India, the president regretted that no action at international level was taken, so far, despite authentic reports, which showed the world’s “preferential and biased treatment” towards different countries.

On COVID-19 situation, he mentioned that the success of Pakistan, in overcoming the pandemic, was the outcome of the government’s smart and compassionate decision which took proper care of the underprivileged and did not enforce the complete lockdown.

President Alvi felicitated the military graduates of Pakistan and other friendly countries over the completion of their course. President NDU, Lt. Gen Muhammad Saeed, highlighted that NDU had proved itself as a premier seat of learning by promoting critical thinking and research-based knowledge among participants of the course. Earlier, the president conferred degrees upon the graduates of the National Defence University.