ISLAMABAD: Adam Malik, who has come to attend a two-day social media summit from Karachi, says as the mainstream media has been focusing on urban areas the issues of the rural areas can only be projected through the social media.

Organised by the Progressive Youth Forum (PYF) in collaboration with the Pakistan-US Alumni Network (PUAN), the summit began at a local hotel on Saturday. It aimed at providing a platform to the rural and urban youth so that they can play their role in the development of the country.

Mr Malik said the social media was the hope for the people of rural areas because their issues can be highlighted through the internet.

“The youth play a very active role in the social media so they can inform the people in urban areas about their problems,” he said.

“It is a wrong impression that the internet has not reached rural areas. I was born in Mithiani, Sindh, and did matric from a local school in 1981. Last year, I saw a building of my school on Facebook. It was really a matter of excitement and joy for me to see the picture of my school,” he said.

Sheikh Saeed, another participant of the summit, said the media highlighted rural areas whenever the prime minister visited there.

The participants of the summit were informed that 63 per cent of the population of Pakistan consisted of people in the age bracket of 25 years who needed to be prepared for their role in future. Pakistan has been facing social, political and economic crises since independence.

US Secretary of State John Kerry in his massage on the occasion said: “In Pakistan power of individual voices on social media has never been stronger. Keep leading the way.”

Representative of US Department of State Macon Phillips through a video message said the social media was changing the world.

US Ambassador Richard Olson added: “You have an extraordinary capacity to make a positive impact in your communities and your country - and social media is a powerful platform for your voices to be heard.”

The participants were of the view that through the social media leadership capabilities can be developed among the youth to help them play their role for peace and progress.