Govt’s digital media team

In view of the rising popularity of digital media, the PTI-led government has decided to set up a special media team to devise and lead strategy to promote and defend its policies on social media and other digital media platforms. Other responsibilities of the team will be to deal with the critics of the government and to debunk fake news. Recently, the federal cabinet approved the allocation of a supplementary grant of Rs42.791 million for the current fiscal for the creation of a digital media wing at the ministry of information and broadcasting. The government has crafted a social media policy for its departments.

Social media is playing a significant role in presenting a true picture of incidents and events and thereby thwarting attempts by certain quarters at suppressing the truth, but at the same time it is also being used by irresponsible elements for spreading fake news. The government’s digital media wing will understandably be making efforts to uncover falsehood. This is indeed a noble aim provided it is pursued honestly and not used as a tool of witch-hunt against detractors. Such suspicions do arise in the public mind, and need to be removed. The government should ensure that the digital media team does not cross its publicly-declared mandate of working within bounds of decency.

The government has every right to defend its policies and the new media team is supposed to explain the government’s policies and to defend them. Everyone should have the courage to say two plus two is four, that is, to uphold the truth. In worldly affairs even enemies defend the good deeds of their foes, but defending the indefensible is taken as the true measure of loyalty. Such show of loyalty should be discouraged. The 23-member digital media team will liaise with various ministries and departments. We hope the team serves its purpose and is not merely useful as a form of employment.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2020.

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