On the possibility of a military operation in Swat, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif remained tight-lipped on Friday but said the government was taking steps to control the return of militancy in the mountainous district.
The minister warned against a re-emergence of a situation similar to that of 2009 and 2010 in Swat and northern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
He did, however, say that people standing up to terrorism was an encouraging sign. “The people have now taken a stand against the entire situation,” he said.
During his speech, the defence minister also mentioned the importance of the media in such a situation.”Political workers like me… or my community of political workers who are in politics 24/7, 365 days a year, we feel the presence of media in our lives,” the minister continued. We are constantly aware of the presence of the media.”
Asif went on to say that it was impossible to stay in politics without recognising or acknowledging the media’s strong presence, as well as its use or misuse by politicians today.
“This is also important to understand.” “With fake news, social media is wreaking havoc on politics, economics, wars, and strategies,” the minister said.”I personally believe that the role of the media is critical. Perhaps in today’s world, it has become the most important aspect of national life, both for us and for the rest of the world,” the minister added.
The defence minister went on to say that the media gets involved right away and influences public opinion through what it reports.
The minister went on to say that the fate of any cause, good or bad, is determined by how the media handles it.
