UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan told UN’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) that efforts to counter the terrorist menace would remain futile if the root causes — injustice, oppression, occupation and suppression of the right to self-determination — remain unaddressed. “Denial of these fundamental human rights and state terrorism will only lead to violent narratives,” Pakistani delegate Jawad Ajmal said during a debate on ‘Countering terrorist narratives and preventing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.’nnnAjmal, a first secretary at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, said that in the digital revolution, terrorist groups are able recruit, organize and incite terrorism by using the internet as a command-and-control centre with technical tools like cryptocurrencies to transfer funds, and the dark web as a medium for execution of terrorism globally.
In his regard, he called for regulation of technology companies, social media platforms and internet providers that are primarily driven by commercial interests, to curb their misuse and prevent the proliferation of hate and xenophobia including Islamophobia leading to violence and hatred against peoples and nations.
Capacity building of state agencies was essential for countering cyber terrorism, as was a global plan of action to educate and caution the young and vulnerable about the dangers of radicalization and online recruitment, the Pakistani delegate said.
Ajmal also underscored the need for reform of the global counter-terrorism architecture to deal with threats, including state terrorism, right-wing, extremist and fascist movements, and to also counter-narratives that facilitate and promote stigmatization of Islam and Muslims.
“The misuse of digital space is likely to worsen and a major issue is misinformation and fake news, enhanced by Artificial Intelligence to spread conspiracy theories, incitement to violence and other such harmful narratives that shape public discourse,” the Pakistani delegate said, while noting that the reluctance and bias of some digital platforms in countering terrorism and susceptibility to bullying by certain governments added to the problem.
“We must also be wary of the efforts by some states to hijack the terrorism/technology discourse for their own domestic political purposes. Such trends are a dangerous catalyst for the use of the internet for terrorist purposes.
“The Global Digital Compact must reflect these priorities and concerns for necessary safeguards and international cooperation, or else we risk further chaos, polarization and terrorism in our societies,” he added. –Agencies
