Derogatory, inappropriate contents: Ministry calls for awareness drive to stop misuse of social media platforms

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has emphasized the urgent need for awareness among all sections of society, particularly religious scholars, professors, journalists, lawyers, traders, political and social leaders, and institutions in the country in an effort to prevent the misuse of social media platforms for spreading derogatory and inappropriate content.

It called upon them to play their responsible role in the campaign to curb offensive material and, in every circumstance, to utilize legal avenues to combat such content by reporting it to the relevant cyber crime authorities and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), it said.

According to details released by the Ministry, nefarious elements have been actively using social media to launch a well-organized campaign aimed at undermining the ethics, behaviour, and beliefs of our youth for several years.

The negative and harmful effects of social media on society have become a matter of great concern. While indecency itself is intolerable, the situation has escalated to the point of blasphemy, which is an extremely grave offence.

As per the Ministry’s statement, highly organized campaigns on social media platforms are being conducted to spread extremely blasphemous material against the most revered figures, including Allah Almighty (God), the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet’s family), the Mothers of the Believers, the Companions of the Prophet, the Holy Quran, and the national flag. Such offensive content is being shared through images and videos on specific applications and groups.

The Cyber Crimes wing of the FIA has apprehended individuals involved in these crimes, including doctors, professors, engineers, chartered accountants, lawyers, and people from various walks of life.

According to the Ministry, the report filed by the FIA Cyber Crime and the investigation conducted by the Legal Commission in the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court revealed that more than four hundred thousand accounts in Pakistan are involved in disseminating such severe blasphemy.

The proliferation of indecency through social media is promoting the degradation of our society and dragging the new generation into the quagmire of blasphemy. Currently, over 100 million people in the country use social media, which demonstrates the rapid spread of this evil.

In 2019, four individuals formed a blasphemous group, which was subsequently apprehended by the FIA Cyber Crime in 2022. However, by the time of their arrest, the number of members in this group had significantly increased, and this increase continues to this day.

The primary objective of this alarming trend is to create chaos in Pakistan, destabilize peace and security, and sow seeds of hatred among different religious communities and sects. The act of blasphemy is being orchestrated through conspiratorial means, using accounts with names that appear to belong to a particular religion or sect to defame and insult opposing religions or sects.

The Ministry urges parents, who bear the greatest responsibility in current circumstances, to be mindful of the content their children are exposed to on mobile phones, laptops, and the internet.

They should ensure that their children do not inadvertently stumble upon indecent material and end up on the path of immorality, eventually leading to obscene videos and, most egregiously, blasphemous acts.

Controlling this epidemic requires not only parents’ awareness but also education within society to prevent the circulation of such material and to utilize legal measures in all circumstances to obstruct these crimes. This will enable society to combat such crimes effectively under the rule of law.

The FIA Cyber Crime Wing has already apprehended 140 individuals involved in these crimes, with 11 of them having received the death penalty from trial courts and two having their death sentences confirmed by the High Court.

There are 15 Cyber Crime units throughout the country under the jurisdiction of the FIA. These units have already established Anti-Blasphemy Cells, and immediate action is taken upon receiving reports in response to requests made to these cells. Cyber Crime technology traces criminals who engage in offensive activities on any social media application, share derogatory material on any website, or use VPNs. Once apprehended, these individuals are arrested and face legal action in accordance with the law.