• Attaullah Tarar highlights growing threat amid use of AI for false propaganda
• Law minister confirms ban on land pilgrimage to Iran and Iraq temporary, prompted by rising terrorism threats, says restriction will be lifted in ‘a few days’
• Eight lawmakers disqualified, including opposition leader
ISLAMABAD: As the blackout of opposition in the National Assembly continued on the state-run TV and the assembly’s official YouTube channel, the government on Friday sought opposition’s help in dealing with the challenge of misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said the situation had become more complicated after the introduction and growing use of artificial intelligence to spread false propaganda.
He noted that global leaders, when asked at the World Economic Forum about the greatest threat of our time, identified misinformation and disinformation—not nuclear warfare or climate change—as the biggest concern.
“Nobody mentioned nuclear warfare or climate change as the greatest threat of our generation”, he remarked.
He further said the Ministry of Information had no digital footprint before he took over as minister and was still operating under the rules framed in 1970s.
Mr Tarar said the rules were amended to establish the country’s first digital communication department.
“We introduced Artificial Intelligence technology and are using advanced software to detect misleading content. Once identified, such material is labelled and disseminated as fake,” he explained.
However, he emphasised that this alone was not sufficient and that national cohesion was necessary to effectively counter the issue.
He, however, said this single step was not enough and a national cohesion was required to effectively deal with the issue. “It would be falsehood to claim we have brought about a revolution”, he remarked.
The information minister then proposed formation of a special house committee to make recommendations on how to counter misinformation and disinformation.
“I invite the opposition to join and help the government on the issue. “If the committee is able to come up with practicable recommendations, the credit will go to this House— and to you”, he said while addressing National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
The Speaker, however, suggested that the matter be taken up by the information committee and noted that all interested members were welcome to join.
‘Land travel ban temporary’
Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the ban on land travel for pilgrimage to Iran and Iraq was a temporary measure.
He further said the spike in terrorism had necessitated the ban, which he said would be lifted in a ‘few days’ once the law and order situation improves.
He also told the House that arrangements were being made to facilitate those who had already reached the border.
He further said that the state minister for interior will make a comprehensive statement on the issue in the House on Monday.
Eight lawmakers disqualified
Earlier, the session started with an announcement by the Speaker about the disqualification of eight members of the House, including Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan.
The Speaker refused to give the floor to the opposition lawmakers who wanted to speak after the announcement, saying points of order were not allowed before question hour.
A PTI lawmaker raised the issue of illegal confinement of members of a family, including women and children in Karachi. He said he had received a call from a woman who claimed that Head Constable Nabi Gul was murdered in 2021 and that his son avenged his death.
Following this, several family members, including the mother, widowed sister and two children, were allegedly picked up and had been held in illegal confinement for a week.
“In the name of humanity, I urge PPP and other stakeholders to help secure their release”, the PTI lawmaker appealed.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, acknowledging the seriousness of the matter as a human rights concern, requested PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar to raise the issue with the Sindh government.
Later, proceedings had to be adjourned after quorum was pointed out and it was determined the House was not in order.
Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2025