A watchman holding a gun guards the main gate of a government primary school in Sardar Garhi area of Peshawar.
Manipulation of information is a deadly tool in modern warfare —where there is an information gap, it is near impossible to distinguish between reality and propaganda
In a 48-hour news cycle starting on January 27, 2016, the country was nearly brought to a standstill by a baseless rumour and much conjecture: military-run schools in Punjab and Sindh were shutting down for a couple of days while civilian schools had no such directive.
Many claimed that military-run schools had been shut due to a terror threat; others believed it was some other reason. But for the next 48 hours, much of urban Pakistan sat in apprehension of what was going to happen.
In any long, protracted war, control over information becomes a deadly weapon. Information can either be used to inform the general populace or to mislead it entirely; it can be used to correctly pinpoint a potential terrorist or it can be used by terrorists to deceive any troops in pursuit of them. Information can either be used to save people or cause immense commotion.
Despite the growing need for greater security measures at educational institutions, the federal and provincial governments often shift the responsibility of securing schools on to school administrations and parents. But while the State remains absent from the picture, parents across Pakistan are becoming more fearful of sending their children to school
In this case, because there was no clarity on the precise reasons for school closure, the rumour mill went into overdrive. There was more conjecture for another day, till such time that schools reopened again and the matter finally died down.
But January 27 provided Pakistan with the perfect example of how crucial control over information is in its war against terrorism. As per procedure, all information about potential terror threats is collected and vetted by intelligence agencies, which in turn is shared with the National Crises Management Cell (NCMC), a division of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) of the Ministry of Interior.
The NCMC then issues notifications to provincial home departments, provincial chief secretaries, provincial police chiefs, and other relevant stakeholders. The home departments concerned then direct the departments concerned to stay alert and take possible measures to counter possible terrorist attack / threat.
But as the confusion on Jan 27 proved, there is a gap between the transmission of information between the Ministry of Interior and various provincial departments. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan sought to clear confusions about why schools in Punjab were shut, but that created more confusions between the Ministry of Interior and the Punjab Home Department.
On their part, government officials blame the role of social media in disseminating fraudulent information. “Sometimes, people forward unverified and untrue information on social media as if they were gospel truths,” fumes one officer. “That information is shared on multiple platforms, and all of a sudden, we have one beast of misinformation to contend with.”
Consider this message forwarded by the NCMC on January 24, 2016:
“HQ S&CT: Threat Alert-36 1. Reportedly Mangal Bagh (MB) carried out a meeting with 3 x locals commanders at the residence of an Afghan National in Jalaabad, Afghanistan to coordinate terrorist activity in Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi against military installations, schools and police stations (specially CTD Peshawar).
“9-12 x terrorist (6 x suicide bombers) have been prepared and are in the process of dispatch to Pakistan. An Afghan National has been given the responsibility of provision of weapons / ammunition along with a house at Spirsang, Warsak road, Peshawar. 2. No further details are available. Please disseminate to all concerned and ensure extra vigilance and heightened security measures at levels. Regards.”
While the text message briefly informs journalists of a looming threat, this incomplete information snippet is often forwarded as breaking news on the electronic media and updates on social media. This, in turn, creates chaos and confusion among common people.
“It is the joint responsibility of the Ministry of Interior and Nacta to share relevant information about security threats to the provincial home departments, while the chiefs of various media houses need to verify information before running it on their television channels in the form of tickers or breaking news, which causes panic among masses,” argues an official of the ministry.
“In the recent past, when Taliban threats had exponentially increased, they’d always deliver their threats through the media,” explains one senior journalist. “After a certain point, we stopped carrying their messages and the panic caused by these threats also stopped.”
“The chiefs of various media houses need to verify information before running it on their television channels in the form of tickers or breaking news, which causes panic among masses,” argues an official of the interior ministry.
Late Sunday night, February 7, 2016, two unidentified men fired at the office of City 42. Similarly, a grenade was also lobbed at the ARY News office in Sector F-7, Islamabad. These developments lead to another complication: if the messengers of news aren’t safe, is news skewed and biased to suit a particular tilt?
ARY News Bureau Chief Sabir Shakir told Dawn that the interior ministry and the district administration arranged two separate meetings with the representatives of media houses to discuss the matter of the security protocols in detail.
“It was decided in the meeting that the management of media houses will install good quality CCTV cameras at all important locations inside media offices, while owners need to hire professional security guards to counter any terrorist’s activity,” says Shakir.
“During the meeting, media representatives were asked to hire a security guard and place him on the rooftop of offices so that he may have a bird’s eye view of the canvas around him. School managements too need to ensure the use of barbed wire after increasing the boundary walls,” he argues.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Capt (R) Mushtaq Ahmad told participants of the meeting that the administration has decided to set up police posts near media officers too, while the response force will be asked to patrol localities nearby media offices in the federal capital.
According to the interior ministry source, Ch Nisar has already directed the officials concerned to issue two to three licenses for automatic weapons to each media house. These weapons will be used only in the premises of media offices and only to counter any terrorist attack.
The official also said that the minister directed the district administration to keep in touch with the local management of media houses to get updates on security threats to them as well as to individual journalists.
Meanwhile, the interior ministry has revised security protocols and procedures for educational institutions after the attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda (see table). A senior official of the ministry admits to the deteriorating security situation in the country, claiming that the new protocol had to be put in place based on new information and analysis.
“There are 422 government-owned schools and colleges operational in the federal capital while the ministry has installed four CCTV cameras each in 413 governments schools till now, while the boundary walls of 90pc schools and colleges are according to the standards recommended by the interior ministry,” claims Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division Secretary Khalid Hanif.
“We are in the process of introducing biometric attendance system for students, which will be installed close to entrance gates of schools and colleges at the federal level. The ministry is also working with the capital police and educational institutions on software to seek help of the police in cases of emergency,” adds the secretary.
Hanif claims that the ministry is issuing funding to government educational institutions at federal level to implement the security guidelines, while private schools’ representatives have also been directed to take all possible measures to ensure the security of students inside school premises.
“Sometimes, people forward unverified and untrue information on social media as if they were gospel truths,” fumes one officer. “That information is shared on multiple platforms, and all of a sudden, we have one beast of misinformation to contend with.”
While schools in Punjab remained shut till February 2 after the attack on Bacha Khan University, some schools asked staff to come in so that they may be trained in the basics of rescue and relief activity.
“Although government schools were closed in Rawalpindi for curricular activities, our school was open because the teaching staff of all government schools in the city was attending a security training organised by Rescue 1122 staff,” explains Musarat Rana, a 50-year-old Islamic Studies teacher at Government Girls Higher Secondary School in the Dhok Kashmirian area of Rawalpindi.
“They shared basic guidelines and standard operating procedures to adopt in case terrorists attacked our school. They also taught administering basic first aid to secure lives in emergency situations,” he described.
Rawalpindi -based Rescue official Rabnawaz Khan explained that rescue teams, along with Civil Defence department staff, are busy conducting security trainings for teachers, albeit with the support of the district police and provincial education department.
“We are sharing basic security guidelines with teachers to deal with any untoward situation, but the federal and provincial governments should issues arms licenses to schools security guards on priority basis since they are performing their duties without any weapon on them,” argues Khan.
“During security training with teachers, we asked them to share details of these security guidelines with their students,” says the Rescue 1122 official. “It is important for students to close the doors of their classrooms or halls with desks, while it is also necessary to lie flat on the ground while covering their ear with their hands.”
But Qamar Ahmed, a 44-year-old English teacher at a government college in Rawalpindi, argues that such initiatives are somewhat futile. “Although the management of educational institutions is trying to follow security guidelines devised by the interior ministry, government schools and colleges are still lacking fully equipped security guards to respond to any terror threat or attack.”
The writer is a Dawn.com multimedia correspondent in Islamabad. Connect with him on Twitter @IrfanHaiderr or email:mihader321@gmail.com
Post-Charsadda security directives
Metal detectors
All government and private educational institutions are directed to purchase metal detectors to ensure proper checking of any person entering the premises. It will be the responsibility of the heads of the institutions that they will make sure that this practice is actually carried out in true letter and spirt.
CCTV cameras
All educational institutions are also directed to install CCTV cameras. The heads will ensure that the CCTV systems are working properly and if not, should report accordingly.
Boundary wall
The existing standard of height laid down for the boundary wall is eight feet. Pakistan Public Works Department was requested to do the needful in this regard. The heads of the institutions should report whether the said task has been completed or not.
Installation of inspection mirror
All institutions are also directed to purchase inspection mirrors. The heads should report to the concerned department once the said purchases have been completed.
Concertina / Wire
The installation of concertina wire was reportedly in progress in all institutions. No report has however been received thus far from any head of the institution with regards to the completion of the said task.
Emergency Gate
Almost all the educational institutions have emergency gates. Emergency drills may be conducted regularly.
Verification of pick & drop service providers
It is the responsibility of the head of the institutions to ensure the maintenance of the complete data of pick and drop service providers including the drivers and conductors, copies of which must be submitted to the I.G. Office for security clearance.
Observation posts
All heads of the institutions should prepare observation posts at the highest points within the school premises ensuring maximum visibility. These observation posts should be manned by vigilant armed guards throughout working hours.
Trained security guards
Institutional heads are instructed to hire trained security guards as per their needs
Barriers on front gate
Barriers must be installed before the main gates of every institution.
Arms licenses
It has been decided that two or three arms licenses would be issued to each institution. The heads may send requisition for the same as per their needs for onwards submission to the Commissioner office for the issuance of the requisite arms licenses.
Miscellaneous
The heads of the institutions are further directed that the full particulars of the canteen contractors and their staff may be maintained and the copy of the ame may be sent to the I.G. office for the security clearance.
Night stay of any unauthorised individuals or visitors or canteen staff etc. is banned.
An emergency plan may be devised by the principals with the CMC for the safe exit / safety of the students and the teaching staff during an emergency situation.
Complete record is to be maintained of all visitors and the visiting hours may be curtailed. Heads and eve staff members (teaching and non-teaching) must remain vigilant in this regard. A separate person / persons may be deputed for this task and any odd movement may be reported to the concerned agencies.
Last but not least, Boy Scouts / Girls Guides and student councils representing the senior classes may be used as tools of awareness about the proper execution of emergency plans.
Peshawar: A mountain of knives
by Sadia Qasim Shah