Pakistan to take action against immoral videos on social media
Interior minister says social media would not be allowed to be used for mudslinging on others; Blinken invites Bilawal to atend food security meet in US
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that the government has decided to start a crackdown on elements maligning people through immoral videos on social media.
Those spreading such unethical material on social media would be nabbed, he said in a statement.
The minister said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also directed not to tolerate such material. The social media would not be allowed to be used for mudslinging on others, he added.
He said such incidents would be curbed in which such material was used for blackmailing. Those involved in criminal activities would be dealt with an iron hand, he added. He said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other departments concerned have been instructed to take action against such immoral and unethical videos.
The government’s announcement came following former prime minister Imran Khan’s statement, who said that his opponents have “hired companies that are preparing for his character assassination.”
“We will not allow people to use social media to humiliate someone,” said the interior minister. He said that the government will deal with those involved in a harsh manner. “We will wipe out those who spread this filth,” said Sanaullah, adding that instructions have been sent to the FIA and relevant authorities in this regard.
Some audios and videos are circulating on Whatsapp groups about certain members of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI). Some of them are highly obnoxious. PTI leaders fear that a character-assassination is being launched against them by the present government.
However, Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz has stated that she despises such material.
In an unrelated development, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a maiden telephone call to Pakistan’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhuto-zardari, and extended an invitation to the later to visit Washington this month, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
During the telephonic conversation, Blinken congratulated Bilawal on the assumption of his office and expressed the desire to continue strengthening the mutually beneficial Pakistanus bilateral relationship, Geo News quoted the statement as saying.
“An invitation was also extended by the Secretary of State for Pakistan’s participation in the Ministerial meeting on Global Food Security to be held in New York on May 18.”
Exchanging views on various aspects of bilateral relations, Bilawal Bhuto underscored that Pakistan and the US have a longstanding broad-based relationship.
He added that constructive and sustained engagement between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interest was vital to promote peace, development and security in the region and beyond, Geo News reported.
In an unrelated development, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah has advised political parties to refrain from unnecessarily criticising the judiciary and seeking accountability of state institutions under the pressure of political narrative and warned that it would ultimately lead to chaos in the country.
The IHC chief justice made the observation during the hearing of a petition filed by Imran Khan’s close aide Shahbaz Gill seeking protective bail in a case relating to the Masjid-e-nabvi incident.
Justice Minallah observed that the movement for restoration of judiciary was not for the reinstatement of judges only, but to ensure rule of law in every institution. He recalled that almost all the political parties had participated in that movement and they must answer whether or not the objectives of supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law and sanctity of institutions had been achieved.
The top judge said all the political parties were respectable as they formed public opinion and influenced the people at large. He observed that institutions are accountable under the law, but seeking accountability under the pressure of political narrative was unwarranted.
Justice Minallah said the political parties welcomed the decisions that went in their favour but they started criticising the judiciary for every unfavourable decision.