FO calls for check on social media accounts spreading false news
- By Web Desk -
- Nov 12, 2018
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has asked the Ministries of Interior and Information to look into social media accounts spreading fake news and take appropriate action against them as per the law.
It took notice of fake news doing rounds on social media regarding relations between Pakistan and Israel attributed to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. “We are asking the Ministries of Interior and Information to look into accounts generating such false news and to take appropriate action against them, as per the law,” the statement read.
It is pertinent mention here that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already launched a Twitter account @FakeNews_Buster for exposing fake news and disinformation.
The first tweet of the account stated: “The objective of social media is information, education and knowledge sharing. It should be based on truth and should not spread #FakeNews and disinformation, to achieve ulterior motives. Otherwise, it will erode its credibility.”
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said this account would respond to fake news and action would be taken against those responsible for spreading it.
The minister took to twitter to express his resentment on widespread fake news and notification regarding different government events.
He said: “A series of Fake notifications and news is systematically spread on social media, it started from a media dinner picture and now there is a series of such rubbish. Without effecting freedom on SM we need to take strict action against fake news.”
The first news debunked by the account was that Maleeka Bokhari, who was recently appointed as parliamentary secretary, has been appointed as BISP chairperson. It also denied that she is related to Zulfi Bukhari, a close friend of Prime Minister Imran Khan.