President seeks digital media’s role for social awareness on issues
ISLAMABAD – President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said that digital media could act as an effective tool to bring reformation in the society through dissemination of public awareness messages.
In an interactive session with journalists-cum-digital media influencers here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President stressed responsible use of social media with a constructive approach to highlight the issues concerning the common man in particular.
According to a statement issued by the President media office, Dr. Alvi said though political topics drew more audience to a journalist’s social media platform, however, creating awareness about matters such as hepatitis, breast cancer, women’s share in inheritance, population control and disabled persons was equally important.
He said media giants and social media worldwide were gaining power to influence institutions and even shape up the policies of States.
He urged the journalists to invite debates on various social issues and invoke public opinion in a bid to educate the society.
He mentioned that mere laws could not give positive results unless there was a social change to choose right over wrong.
Dr Alvi lauded the role of mainstream and social media during the coronavirus pandemic for educating the public about healthcare precautions.
The President, flanked by his wife Begum Samina Alvi, also answered the queries of digital media journalists on issues including Islamophobia, presidential system and ordinances, electronic voting and cyber security. On the issue of Islamophobia raised with France, he said Pakistan maintained the same position. However, he said, the stance “did not mean confrontation, but awareness” about a dangerous social trend in the West. Regarding electronic voting, he said, the work by his task force was in progress and a consultancy firm would soon be hired to workout feasibility on e-voting and digital identification. He said e-voting could be an expensive venture and also required the nod of the parliament for implementation.
Asked about his opinion on presidential system, he said, “a decisive leadership matters more than a specific mode of governance”, adding that he had ‘no tilt towards either of the systems’.
To a question on issuance of presidential ordinances, he said that the prerogative was constitutional and had been a normal practice during the tenures of other ruling parties as well.
Newspaper: The Nation
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