Fake news and yellow journalism are posing multi-dimensional challenges to the credible media houses. Even states are deeply affected with systematic weaponization of fabricated fake stuff. Recently Gio5 platform has published an insightful investigative report written by Ghazala N Yousufzai titled ‘Drop Site News: Master of Controversies, Propaganda and Death to Journalism’.
The Report has meticulously analyzed the US based website ‘Drop Site News’ for its involvement in disinformation campaigns through projection of biased narratives and quoting of unauthen-tic rather fabricated leaked documents. Last portion of this well researched report presents eye opening conclusions about biased approach of ‘Drop Site News’ towards Pakistan and its obvious nexus with PTI’s foreign based lobbyist groups. Unfortunately, shadowy characters are involved in formulation of misleading narratives for PTI.
Saner quarters are raising questions on objec-tionable campaigning by PTI lobbyists abroad directly damaging the repute and credibility of the state. Blatant use of fake news, lies, unauthentic statistics and AI generated fabricated content on social media and digital platforms by shadowy teams, puts se-rious question marks on credibility of PTI. As per claims of PTI leadership their founding Chairman has no access to the outer world from Adyala Jail.
Question rightly arises then who is han-dling the ‘X’ account of former PM and posting malicious content to fuel instability in Pakistan. Democratic parties never function like cults where leaders remain unaccountable and unquestioned for their words and actions. Confrontational strategy of PTI is dominating the weaker calls for political reconciliation or dia-logue. A series of flop agitation protests in federal capital, disin-formation campaign about workers death toll, threats of civil dis-obedience , appeals to disrupt remittances and foreign lobbying through dubious websites like ‘Drop Site News’ are those spots on the political character of PTI which merit serious introspec-tion. Obviously, there is a method in the madness.
It is getting more complex with nonsensical moves of former ruling party ‘Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI)’. Party leadership is persistently crossing red lines to foster the deeper polarization in society. Im-prisoned founding Chairman Imran Khan’s recent call for civil disobedience, especially urging overseas Pakistanis to discon-tinue remittances radiates sheer confrontation, thus leaving no space for political reconciliation. After kicking-off the agitation, PTI leadership is reluctantly gesturing positively to the proposal of dialogue with the government. As usual, seriousness of PTI for dialogue process remains questionable amid repeated warnings for civil disobedience movement and appeals to overseas Paki-stanis to hinder the remittances. While a group of party stalwarts have been dwelling upon the demands to be negotiated with the government for a week or so; some of the firebrand party repre-sentatives are continuously reiterating the remittances discon-tinuation appeals. This unwise hype in PTI camp is surging with-out any brainstorming on the destructive consequences.
A few days back a PTI MNA, who got fame with an objectionable phrase and a fist fight in a live TV talk show, used ‘X’ platform to post an irresponsible slogan ‘No Rights No Remittances’. Such inappro-priate appeals to Overseas Pakistanis cannot be termed political move by any means. Opposition party which has been overplay-ing victimhood for almost two years; now stands exposed with her misplaced preference for malicious political interests over state’s financial stability. It is hard to believe that former PM and his aides erroneously overlooking the damaging effects of remittances halt on fragile national economy. Ironically, PTI leadership is not even catering for the personal obligations of Overseas Pakistanis. Countrymen living abroad regularly dispatch hard earned money to their families through legal channels.
Much talked about re-mittances are not transferred directly to the government treasury rather credited directly to the nominated accounts of citizens. Knowing well about the fragility of financial stability, PTI leader-ship is trying to create imbalance in foreign exchange equation of the state of Pakistan. Disappointingly, a major political party is convincing Overseas Pakistanis for adopting illegal channels to transfer money in Pakistan.
If not so, then PTI is showing ex-treme insensitivity towards the dependent families of overseas Pakistanis who desperately wait whole month for financial sup-port from their dear ones. Politicizing the Overseas Diaspora is a condemnable precedence set by the PTI while having insight of its long-term consequences on the stability of state. After losing power in the centre, founding Chairman PTI perpetuated eco-nomic chaos with repeated bleak default predictions. Later on, PTI stalwarts wrote a letter to IMF with obvious aim to sabotage the much needed financial bailout package. Subsequently, former cabinet member of PTI government staged a protest in front of IMF headquarters at a critical phase of bailout review to deprive Pakistan from the requisite support. This malicious campaigning and direct assaults on the financial sovereignty of the State is nothing less than ‘economic terrorism’. Recent attack on remit-tances substantiates a malicious pattern to cripple the economy of the state. It is about time for the state to put the house in or-der by tightening the noose around the merchants of fake news and false propaganda.
—The Writer is a freelance with interest in internal security and interna-tional affairs.
