Not new or strange. We are living in the age of “processed information” that is communicated systematically to develop a manipulated or camouflaged narrative in a country, region or globally. The build-up of a manipulated narrative usually serves some political, military or socioeconomic vested interests of some hierarchies. The size and scale of the processed information depend on the target. Political chaos in a country to a regional or global economic crisis to creating a security situation or military conflict, everything is possible by engaging the masses and stakeholders by a systematic dissemination of processed information where digital media plays the backbone role.
The history of our country, region and the global map is saturated with such cases where “processed information,” which we shall simply call “disinformation” was used for political, military and economic dominance. Pakistan may be one of the most relevant examples of disinformation-based narratives against politicians and some judges of the superior judiciary. Over the decades, bosses have been conquering their own country and people, time and again. I am referring not only to the martial-law regimes but takeover of the political space by camouflaged narratives against the popular political leaders. Pakistan is a micro-case of all three dominions that their elite learned from their mentors and lords – the US and the UK.
The US and the UK, as part of their pursuit of global dominance, have created a multi-tier system of processing public opinion based on a wide-ranging network of foreign public relations agencies. This network is actively used in the information campaign against the geopolitical and economic opponents of Washington and its NATO allies. Mostly, their common agenda is against China, Russia, Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and some other countries that would not accept global hegemony so blindly. Some have already borne the brunt of processed information or disinformation. What was the War on Terrorism and Arab Spring? Many research reports have been written and published.
Pakistan may be one of the most relevant examples of disinformation-based narratives against politicians and some judges of the superior judiciary.
What else could be the shameless abuse of thinktanks and public relations firms to establish a manipulated and camouflaged narrative against the opponents? Disseminating adulterated information for the sake of vested interests have a severe consequence of mistrust; leading to the disintegration of societies and economies. The present humanitarian crisis and economic miseries are the results of what the geopolitical narrative leading countries–the US and the UK–have cultivated around the world.
Several geopolitical experts and economists have hinted that such outsourcing is organised under the auspices of the US National Security Council, the US State Department and the UK Foreign Office to impose Western attitudes and manipulate public opinion, as well as cover-up operations by the US intelligence community and British intelligence services. USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy (USA), Soros Foundation and the British and Czech governments are said to be involved in its funding. Pakistan banned some of the US and UK-funded national and international NGOs after they were found in some anti-state incidents in the country way back a decade. Now, the nongovernmental sector goes through a well-defined process for the sake of monitoring and regulation.
At the moment, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and China are the hot spot of processed information and consistent and integrated disinformation. The US and the UK agencies are all out to create a manipulated and camouflaged narrative against Russia and China. In the case of Ukraine, the distribution of financial flows is the responsibility of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. This approach allows Washington and its allies to demonstrate “massive support” for their policies in the world and to parry accusations of direct interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The Russian experts believe that “during the Russian Armed Forces’ special military operation in Ukraine, Washington and London are already perfecting a model for managing their own information policy in a changing politico-military environment.”
The largest public relations and communications association in the West and the British PR Network play a key role in this effort. Employees of these structures are responsible for the coordinated promotion of the anti-Russian information agenda. “In President Zelensky’s office, representatives of the leadership of these organizations are the “directors” of high-profile actions similar to Russia’s alleged crimes in Ukraine involving violations of international law. Similar staged actions were carried out in the cities of Bucha and Izyum.”
On the other hand, China, Iran, and North Korea are also facing the brunt of the same manipulated narrative. Pakistan has faced the worst for improving bilateral relations with China and Russia as well as during the build-up of the so-called Jihad in Afghanistan and the war against terrorism. Now, a severe brunt is ready for supporting China and Russia. Indian media has already been picking up against Pakistan; trying to create some misunderstandings between the strategic and economic partners. Efforts shall be in place to counter the manipulated and camouflaged narratives, internal or external, political, strategic or economic. Wake up, all.
The writer is a freelance journalist and broadcaster, and Director Devcom-Pakistan. He can be reached at [email protected] and tweets @EmmayeSyed