US strategic coercion has no basis in international laws

Human rights minister says fake news and modern propaganda can be countered by using the truth

ISLAMABAD: The top human rights official of the country on Thursday slammed the US for effecting strategic coercion on a number of countries as part of its hybrid war by breaching nuclear agreements such as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran or backing out from international agreements such as the Paris Accord.

Such coercion through economic and military means has no basis in international laws.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari during a seminar on "Understanding Strategic Coercion in the Realm of Grey Hybrid Conflict — Way forward for Pakistan." The seminar was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Thursday.

Dr Mazari said that fake news, disinformation and propaganda were just a set of new tools which were being employed as part of the age-old hybrid war

To counter these tools and blunt broader hybrid warfare tactics, she suggested that the government must embrace the truth and use it to convince the world.

“Our diplomatic statements should be just, truthful and credible,” the federal minister stated.

To convince the world to take our side, she stressed the need for taking a diverse set of citizens on board to reflect inclusivity in the message.

Dr Mazari pointed to the digital lag suffered by government departments as one of the major issues. She urged government departments to embrace new technology and use it intelligently and positively.

Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas claimed that around 60% of news appearing on social media was fake and it negatively influenced the public.

To counter the strategic coercion, Abbas suggested learning from China, Russia and even India and come up with truth and facts. She said Pakistan needs to strengthen its ties with regional countries and improve its standing in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to win their political and economic support to avoid the coercion.

She stressed the importance of promoting the country through soft diplomacy such as cultural diplomacy through music and films to build a more positive image of the country.

"After Pulwama and Balakot episode, for the first time in the history, Pakistan came out victorious in exposing the Indian lie and propaganda through effective counter-narrative and media strategy," Abbas said, adding that they need to further build and strengthen partnerships with international media and think tanks to expose false propaganda through the truth.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that countering grey hybrid warfare was imperative to achieve sustainable development, as it has a direct link with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as strengthening communities, ensuring peace and justice, building strong institutions and building partnership. He said the recent campaign against polio in Peshawar was based on disinformation which was used as a tool of grey hybrid warfare for nefarious motives.

Pakistan is facing strategic coercion through various means, Dr Suleri said, adding that such as economic coercion in the shape of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) conditions, trade sanctions from powerful countries.

Engaging people, building their capacity and promoting the culture of thinking and analysing in society amid the dynamics of coercive diplomacy and grey hybrid war is need of the hour, he recommended.

National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice Chairman Riaz Fatyana said that East Pakistan had been lost due to hybrid warfare. He added that having seen it as an opening, Pakistan’s enemies are continuing to destabilise the very fabric of society through various means.

He said that it was time that all political parties united and fostered good relationships between government and opposition in parliament to ensure political stability.

SDPI Policy Director Dr Shafqat Munir said that there was a need to inform the people about the dynamics of coercive diplomacy and grey hybrid war in order to build their understanding about the modern war doctrine.

These should include the methodologies and tactics of enemies.

He added that Pakistan is currently facing fourth and fifth generation hybrid war in which the enemies of Pakistan through various means are trying to create chaos in the country, which is weakening the very social fabric of the society.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2019.