Director General Press Information Department (PID) Lahore Shafqat Abbas has said that students can effectively counter the spread of false narratives by equipping themselves with media literacy, critical thinking, and digital verification skills, ensuring that truth prevails over propaganda. He stressed that universities and colleges must integrate digital awareness and ethical communication into their learning environments.
He expressed these views on Thursday while addressing a seminar titled “Peace Diplomacy in the Age of Digital Extremism”, organised by PID Lahore at the Department of Media Development Communication, Punjab University.
A large number of students attended the event. Assistant Professor Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq and senior journalist Muhammad Dilawar Chaudhry also addressed the seminar, which included an interactive question-and-answer session.
Welcoming participants, the DG PID said it was an honour to speak at this important session. He noted that the today’s world faces a new kind of conflict-one that does not begin on the battlefield but in the digital arena, where narratives are distorted and truths manipulated, turning perceptions into weapons even before the first shot is fired.
Referring to recent events, he said that within minutes of the Pahalgam attack and the May tensions between Pakistan and India, India launched a coordinated digital propaganda campaign.
In an era where misinformation, doctored videos, and anonymous accounts influence public sentiment faster than verified facts, he stressed the need to engage youth through media literacy programmes to ensure Pakistan’s voice and truth are heard globally in a timely and credible manner.