- Govt fine-tuning strategy to counter likely media tirade against Pakistani nukes, ISI’s role in Afghan polls
As many as three government ministries have been directed to send their recommendations for finalising a media offensive to confront a defamatory media campaign likely to be launched soon by the western media to raise doubts on the security of Pakistan’s nuclear programme and on the role of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in alleged manoeuvring of Afghan elections, Pakistan Today has learnt.
A government official told Pakistan Today that the ministries of information and broadcasting and defence have been asked to forward their recommendations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which would also include its input in the final document.
“We are planning an awareness campaign on the future vision of the newly-elected Pakistani government on the Afghan scenario after US exit and the contributions of Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism,” the official said, adding that the government was planning to show the “real picture” of Pakistan to the western world which “could not see a complete picture due to the biased and negative” reporting of western media on Pakistan.
The official said that Pakistan has a “hands-off policy” on Afghanistan.
“ISI and the Pakistan Army are not interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and the Pakistan government desires to see Afghanistan a peaceful country. In this regard, none of the Afghan presidential candidates have resorted to Pakistan-bashing during their election campaign which reflects the truth,” the official said.
“Under a well conceived design, the RAW is fuelling a negative propaganda against Pakistan through western intelligentsia, conspiracies by intelligence agencies of Israel, Iran and Afghanistan through some biased journalists like Carlotta Gall, in this venomous drive. The book by Carlotta Gall is a part of this nefarious and venomous anti-Pakistan propaganda,” the official added.
“Carlotta Gall is shamelessly stating in her book that organisers of insurgencies in Afghanistan are in Pakistan and that these are well protected by the ISI just because she is biased against Pakistan as she had been asked to leave Pakistan twice due to her suspected activities and violation of visa restrictions,” the official added.
The official said that Carlotta Gall’s accusation that 95 percent Taliban fighters were trained in Haqqania Madrassa in Akora Khattak was a story of the past when Soviets were the enemy and Jihadi Muslims were used as a fodder to implement US strategy in Afghanistan. Today, the official added, ground realities in Akora Khattak present a different picture.
The official added that Pakistan’s cooperation in war on terror has been an outstanding feature of NATO’s Afghan campaign while Gall has been allegedly trying to defame Pakistan on Indian lines.
“Carlotta Gall’s allegations about Red Mosque and assassination of Benazir Bhutto are outcomes of a sick-mind and twisted psychological design. Such clever and crooked thoughts do not suit the dignity a female journalist,” the official maintained.
He said that the allegations by Gall against former army chief Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, Gen Pasha and Gen Ziauddin Butt were totally unfounded and so was the case of her false reporting about Hafiz Saeed and Mulla Omer.