Pakistani Internet regulator, Meta join forces to tackle militancy in digital sphere
The event brought together experts from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp along with representatives from key Pakistani government institutions and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).
The workshop focused on Meta's evolving policies for tackling militancy-related content and enhancing cooperation between digital platforms, LEAs and regulators, according to the PTA.
'Collaboration with global platforms like Meta is vital to prevent the misuse of online spaces by extremist elements,' PTA Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman said, reaffirming the PTA's commitment to building a safer digital environment.
The development comes amid a surge in militancy in Pakistan's western regions by religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban and Daesh as well as ethno-nationalist Baloch separatist groups.
Pakistani officials have in the past said that these militant groups also used social media platforms to 'brainwash' and 'recruit' people, including women, in their ranks to carry out attacks. Militant attacks in Pakistan more than doubled from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024.
Tuesday's workshop was part of the PTA's broader strategy to promote responsible online behavior and enhance national digital resilience, at which the participants discussed various mechanisms for complaint handling and content escalation, and engaged with Meta's policy specialists on various topics.
'Joint efforts like this are key to creating safer digital spaces while upholding community standards and fundamental rights,' Meta's Dangerous Organizations and Individuals (DOI) Policy lead Dr. Nawab Osman said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
6 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan pays tribute to ‘resilient' Palestinians on ‘Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism'
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's foreign office on Thursday paid tribute to the 'resilient' people of Palestine on the 'International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism,' criticizing Israeli forces for committing 'genocide' in the Middle East and violating international law. The United Nations General Assembly marks the day every year on Aug. 21 to honor and support the victims and survivors of 'terrorism.' The day is also held to promote and protect the full enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of victims of 'terrorism.' Pakistan has consistently criticized Israel since it began its military operations in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023 for targeting civilians, schools, hospitals and blocking humanitarian supplies for the Palestinian population. So far, Israeli forces have killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. 'We extend our deepest tribute to the resilient people of Palestine, who continue to suffer relentless aggression, systemic human rights violations, and state terrorism at the hands of Israeli occupation forces,' Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement. 'Their actions constitute not only grave violations of international law but also amount to genocide.' The Pakistani foreign office highlighted that prolonged unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation, and the denial of the right to self-determination create 'conditions for extremism and terrorism' which should be addressed comprehensively. 'As we remember the victims of terrorism today, we call upon the international community to join us in making collaborative efforts to strengthen international partnership, dialogue, and cooperation to eliminate the menace of terrorism without discrimination,' the statement said. 'And support the victims and their families, and to contribute to a peaceful and secure world.' The foreign office's statement said Pakistan has lost over 90,000 Pakistanis in its war against militancy since the early 2000s, adding that it has also endured 'staggering economic losses' exceeding $150 billion. 'We honor the valor of our martyrs and heroes whose sacrifices remain a beacon of strength and unity for the nation,' the statement said. Pakistan has been battling twin insurgencies in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and its southwestern Balochistan provinces. In KP, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP have carried out deadly attacks against law enforcers in recent months in their bid to impose their strict brand of Islamic law in the country. In Balochistan, separatist Baloch ethnic groups target civilians and military personnel frequently. These separatist groups seek independence from Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of denying locals a share in the province's natural resources. Pakistan's government and military deny the allegations and say that several health, education and social initiatives in the province have been launched to uplift the province, which is considered one of the poorest in the country by almost all social and economic indicators.
Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistani analysts urge Islamabad to undertake ‘serious efforts' to expedite CPEC projects
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani foreign policy analysts on Thursday urged the government to undertake 'serious efforts' to ensure implementation of long-delayed projects part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which include special economic zones (SEZs), modernizing railway lines and extending the corridor to Afghanistan. Islamabad and Beijing said on Thursday they would prioritize 'high-quality' cooperation under CPEC, unveiling plans for an upgraded version of the multibillion-dollar flagship Belt and Road project. CPEC was launched in 2015 and is essentially an infrastructure network that includes energy, highways, railways projects, and the development of the Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea connecting Pakistan and China. The announcement came during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Pakistan. While Pakistan has said the project is extremely vital to revive its struggling economy, political, security and economic challenges have caused CPEC projects to suffer delays. Pakistani economists and foreign policy experts said that while CPEC holds vast economic potential, consistent policies by Pakistan and its accelerated implementation are required for tangible results. Shakeel Ramay, an economist, said SEZs were a key part of the CPEC that could not be established at the required pace due to governance, political, and other challenges. 'The positive point is that the government has now realized their importance and is working on it, but serious efforts are needed to expedite the implementation,' Ramay added. Ramay also highlighted delays in the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project. The ML‑1, a $6.7 billion upgrade of Pakistan's 1,687-kilometer Karachi–Peshawar rail artery first agreed upon in May 2017, is central to CPEC. The overhaul, involving track doubling, advanced signaling and higher-speed trains, is expected to boost cargo and passenger capacity while easing the transport of trade goods to and from the country's southern ports. 'The hope is there for the project to kickstart with Pakistan and China's openness to third-party inclusion creating opportunities for the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and other investors,' Ramay said. China is also involved in the development of a deep-sea port in Pakistan's Gwadar city, located in its impoverished southwestern Balochistan province. In January this year, Pakistan operated the first commercial flight at the Gwadar International Airport, which has been developed with Chinese funding. Ramay noted that implementation of CPEC projects in Gwadar was visible, despite hurdles. 'The Chinese government has donated 5,000 solar units, built a state-of-the-art hospital, and, along with Pakistan, is investing in skills development,' he said, adding that 30 Chinese and Pakistani companies have invested almost 3 billion Yuan ($418 million) in the Gwadar Free Trade Zone. CPEC's EXPANSION INTO AFGHANISTAN Yi and the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan held trilateral talks in Kabul this week. The three sides agreed to strengthen economic, trade and security cooperation, and extend CPEC to Afghanistan. However, ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain tense as Islamabad blames Kabul for not taking action against militants it alleges launch attacks on Pakistan from its soil. Kabul denies the allegations. Naghmana Hashmi, Pakistan's former ambassador to China, said extending CPEC to Afghanistan had always been seen as a natural step to link Central Asia together. However, she said security issues delayed the plan. 'Without peaceful Afghanistan and secure transit, CPEC could not completely develop for Pakistan,' she told Arab News. Hashmi noted that while the Taliban initially stayed away from the idea to extend CPEC into Afghanistan, they later endorsed it. She said that with the Taliban now in power in Afghanistan, internal security for CPEC projects in the country might not be a 'major challenge.' Dr. Talat Shabbir, director of the China-Pakistan Study Center at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, said CPEC's expansion into Afghanistan could take time given the complex bilateral relationship between Islamabad and Kabul. 'Political and bilateral connectivity is essential for such a venture, but I am hopeful that progress will be made soon as the Chinese are actively working on this aspect,' Shabbir said. Security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan working on CPEC projects, however, has been an area of concern for both nations. Militant attacks in Balochistan, northwestern Pakistan and Karachi targeting Chinese nationals have urged Beijing to express concern over the safety of its citizens in Pakistan. Shabbir noted that Pakistan had bolstered security for Chinese citizens in the wake of these attacks. 'Looking ahead into 2025, Pakistan is further upgrading its security protocols with a mix of technology, intelligence sharing, and community-level engagement in CPEC areas,' he said.
Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan, US explore ways to strengthen railways to support critical minerals sector
ISLAMABAD: US Chargé d'Affaires Natalie Baker met Pakistan's Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen Islamabad's railways and infrastructure to support its critical minerals sector, the US Embassy in Pakistan said in a statement. Pakistan has attracted interest from Washington particularly over its critical minerals sector. Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington looked forward to exploring cooperation with Pakistan in critical minerals and hydrocarbons. In April this year, Pakistan hosted an international minerals summit in Islamabad where top companies and government officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, China, Turkiye, the UK, Azerbaijan, and other nations attended. The summit aimed to attract foreign investment in the country's mining sector, with Pakistan 'Grateful for today's productive meeting with Federal Minister @pakrailpk Hanif Abbasi,' Baker was quoted as saying by the US embassy on social media platform X. 'Together, we are exploring innovative ways to strengthen Pakistan's railways and infrastructure to support the critical minerals sector.' She said American companies were ready to provide 'world-class solutions' that drive growth and mutual benefit for both countries. Grateful for today's productive meeting with Federal Minister @pakrailpk Hanif Abbasi. Together, we are exploring innovative ways to strengthen Pakistan's railways and infrastructure to support the critical minerals sector. U.S. companies are ready to provide world-class… — U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) August 21, 2025 Pakistan is rich in gold, copper and lithium reserves, as well as other minerals. However, despite being rich in reserves of salt, copper, gold and coal, Pakistan's mineral sector contributes only 3.2 percent to the country's GDP and 0.1 percent to global exports. Pakistan is now aiming to tap into this underutilized potential by attracting investment from global mining companies. The South Asian nation is home to one of the world's largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones, while the Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world's largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan's struggling economy. The meeting between Baker and Abbasi comes amid deepening ties between Washington and Islamabad, ever since US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10. Ties between both nations remained frayed under US President Joe Biden's administration. Last month, Pakistan signed a trade deal with the US after which Washington slashed its tariff on Pakistani goods from 29 percent to 19 percent, while Trump imposed double tariffs on Islamabad's arch-rival India.
