Center for Law and Security (CLAS) organized a Roundtable Conference on Disinformation Campaigns, Narratives and Lawfare; Way Forward for Pakistan last day at Serena Hotel, Islamabad says a press release. Syed Fahd Hussain, Special Assistant to Prime Minister were the Chief Guest at this auspicious occasion. Ambassador Abdul Basit, former High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, Duraid Qureshi, CEO and Co-Founder of Hum TV Network, Haider Waheed, Founding Partner Haider Waheed and Partners, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, Founding Partner ABS and Co and Dr. Faisal Mushtaq Chairman Advisory Board CLAS were among the participants of the Rountable. The Roundtable was moderated by Mr. Rehman Azhar, Executive Director, Centre for Law and Security CLAS. Dr. Faisal Mushtaq, Chairman Advisory Board Center for Law & Security CLAS and Chief Executive TMUC Pakistan, in his opening remarks highlighted the work done by the Center and also thanked speakers and the audience for attending the Roundtable Conference.
Duraid Qureshi began the discussion by explaining the significance of cinema industry in narrative building and countering disinformation. He emphasized that state should come in support of film making industry. Ambassador Abdul Basit evaluated Pakistan’s narrative building efforts and its seriousness towards countering disinformation campaigns. He further discussed the disinformation campaigns started by India to bring disrepute to Pakistan and emphasized the importance of pre-emotive thinking in countering it.
Haider Waheed, while discussing the legal framework of disinformation at domestic level, called attention to the need to build defamation strategies and adequate legal remedies to counter the problem of fake news as it is becoming easier to launch due to the rising number of social media platforms. Ahmer Bilal Soofi stressed on the importance of ramping up efforts to build legal positions backed by consensus among political parties. He further underscored the importance of the role of Parliament in such narrative building.
Mr. Fahd Husain, the Chief Guest, underlined local and global challenges related to disinformation faced by Pakistan and stressed that we should know how to tell the story of Pakistan. He emphasized on capacity building of institutions to counter such hostile narratives. A large number of law students and people from academia attended the event. At the end of Roundtable, souvenirs were presented to the speakers by the Chief Guest Fahd Husain, Rehman Azhar Executive Director CLAS and Dr. Faisal Mushtaq, Chairman Advisory Board CLAS.
