LAHORE: Participants in a discussion said on Friday the state should implement social media laws as it is involved in spreading disinformation campaigns on China.

The discussion was arranged by ‘Understanding China Forum (UCF)’ on social media trends at a local hotel on Friday.

CPEC former special envoy Zafaruddin Mah-mood, columnist Mansoor Afaq, comedian Khalid Abbas Dar, Javed Iqbal and others were present.

Discussing social media as a matter of concern, Mr Afaq said the state should act against social media platforms being used against friendly states, especially China.

“We have devised the cyber laws but the FIA does not have the capacity to implement these laws,” he said. He said the government should take action against the fake news being circulated on social media about China to strengthen its relationship.

Mr Mahmood said there was a lot of misinformation being circulated about China on social media and efforts should be made to correct things.

He said the state should regulate social media as China was regulating it.

“One can easily talk about any governance issue on social media in China but they are not allowed to malign the state and government,” he said.

He said 10,000 people lost their lives in China during the Covid-19 pandemic, much less from developed countries, including America, where millions lost lives due to the pandemic.

He said the Chinese state had imposed lockdowns to save the lives of the people. “Due to corona, the speed of progress was slowed down while controlling virus in China.”

He said the European media was generating fake news against China and there was no sanction to practice any religion in China.

“Reporters sitting in their native countries were writing articles against China without even paying any visit,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2022