'Huge potential in country for Facebook to tap'

Asks AGP to file a review petition before the SC on its anti-encroachment drive order in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has stressed on the need for an effective mechanism to check the misuse of social media in spreading fake, violent and hate content.

He said this in a meeting with Facebook Singapore Public Policy Vice President Simon Milner who called on him at the Prime Minister Office.

Prime Minister’s special assistants Syed Zulfikar Bukhari, Iftikhar Durrani and other senior officials were present in the meeting.



The PM said Facebook could play an important role in checking the negative attempts that threaten society and social value with its large number of subscribers.

Meanwhile, Simon Milner brief the PM about different initiatives being taken by Facebook to create online communities.

The PM lauded Facebook’s existing global outreach and efforts to build online communities, providing health services, reaching out to far-flung areas and driving community responses towards disaster management to check the misuse of social media.

PM Imran acknowledged Facebook’s role and social media towards raising awareness in the public on critical issues.

He said there was a huge potential for the organisation for developing online communities in Pakistan in the fields of health services, health awareness, campaigns in far-flung areas as well as social services.

Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan approved in principle the constitution of a task force on technology driven knowledge economy that was being established with an aim to build a powerful knowledge economy.

The PM’s taskforce on technology driven knowledge economy would comprise leading scientists/engineers, representatives from private sector, federal and provincial governments, PM Office media wing said in a press release.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Prime Minister with Dr Attaur Rehman at the PM Office. The Prime Minister said building intellectual capital of the country industrialisation and development of human capital, enhancement of value added products along with quality management for optimisation of productivity were among the foremost priorities of the government which would help realize the potential of the country.

He said that there was a huge potential in the youth of the country to excel and secure Pakistan's share in medium and high-end technologies.



Dr Attaur Rehman briefed the PM about progress on construction of Pak Austrian Fachhochschule, Haripur. He also apprised the PM about progress into establishment of centre of excellence with help of China in mineral resources engineering, railway engineering and agriculture food technologies. APP

Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan directed the Attorney General for Pakistan to file a review petition before the Supreme Court over its earlier orders on the anti-encroachment drive in Karachi. PM Imran issued the directive during a meeting with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, who called on him, PM Office media wing said in a press release.

During the meeting, the issue of on-going anti-encroachment drive in Karachi was discussed. APP

(With additional input from APP)