ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar on Monday said that the country's social media is playing a "negative role" by spreading rumours, a trend he says is affecting Pakistan's progress in the war on terror.

"I am not against social media but the rumours on this platform are spread through anonymous sources," he said at a press conference held in the capital.

"No one knows if a RAW agent or a terrorist is spreading rumours to bring down the morale of our forces," said Nisar adding that "negative propaganda" spread through the medium brings down the morale of security forces.

While he lauded the role of the mainstream media and thanked journalists for their support, he criticised social media for what he says is "negative propaganda against security agencies".

'Terrorists are hitting soft targets'

He maintained that the overall security situation in the country has improved through the efforts of security agencies and, referring to the killing of famed qawwal Ajmad Sabri and kidnapping of SHC CJ's son Awais Shah, said terrorists are hitting "soft targets" to hurt the nation.

About Karachi's law and order situation, he said, "Terrorists want pit us against each other through incidents like qawwal Amjad Sabri's murder and Awais Shah's kidnapping".

He negated the impression that Karachi's law and order situation has worsened by saying that the crime rate in the city has decreased considerably in the past few years due to the ongoing operation in the city.

The minister also announced that Karachi's population will be documented on the same pattern as Islamabad and "it will be figured out if a certain person living in the city is a local or a foreigner".

He added that 20,000 more men will be recruited in Sindh police.

Psychological warfare

Nisar stated Pakistan is winning its war on terror but the nation will have to unite to win the psychological war against the terrorists, in order to take the battle to take it to logical conclusion.

"The odds are against us but I will say that we are winning the fight on ground. Incidents such as Amjad Sabri’s murder and SHC CJ son's kidnapping are acts of frustration by the elements who want to divide us, disappoint us and pit us against each other, we have to unite to win this psychological war," said Nisar

Nisar reminded the reporters that here was time when our General Headquarters (GHQ), Navy and PAF bases had come under attack, but today Pakistan is among those few countries whose fight against terrorism is being presented as a success story.