Committee formed to prob disinformation: Danyal Chaudhry

KARACHI, Dec 02 (APP):The Parliamentary Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry on Monday said that a Committee on Disinformation had been formed to probe into issues related to spreading disinformation.

He said that the Committee would take strict action against those, who were in forefront of spreading disinformation specially belonging to parliamentary issues.

While talking to media persons, during his visit to Sindh Assembly leading a delegation of Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) including its President MNA Syeda Nausheen Iftikhar and General Secretary MNA Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani, he said that the Committee had power to pronounce 10 years sentence.

Danyal Chaudhry said that those, who were involved directly or indirectly in attempts to sabotage Parliament, sovereignty of the country, and its stability would be made accountable.

Meanwhile, YPF President Syeda Nausheen Iftikhar said that their purpose of visiting Karachi was to develop coordination with provinces and form YPF at provincial levels.

She said that YPF was a chapter in which Speaker of National Assembly had keen interest to take along the provinces and our parliamentarians.

The age limit for YPF was 44 and there were 64 Young Parliamentarians in the National Assembly.

Nausheen said that the present era was of misinformation and disinformation and its impacts could be seen at national level whether those were processions or protests in which properties of the country were damaged.

She said that their focus was on youth engagement, their own skill development, public dealing, and social media to cope with the vibe set against institutions.

She was of the view that the formation of YPF in the provinces would also deal with the attempts of misleading the nation.

Earlier, upon their arrival, they were received by the Secretary of Sindh Assembly G.M. Umar Farooq.

Later, the delegation called on the Speaker Sindh Assembly Syed Awais Qadir Shah and visited various parts of the historic Sindh Assembly building.

In the meeting, Syeda Nausheen Iftikhar, engaged in productive discussions with the Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and members of the Sindh Assembly, according to a PA communique. The meeting set the stage for the official establishment of the YPF Sindh chapter, an initiative aimed at empowering young lawmakers and encouraging collaboration on social and legislative issues.

The YPF delegation, comprising board members, legislators, and secretariat members from the National Assembly included Jamal Khan Raisani (General Secretary YPF), Muhammad Iqbal Khan (Information Secretary YPF), Barrister Aqeel Malik, Danyal Chaudhary, Raja Osama Sarwar, Saad Waseem Sheikh, Kiran Imran Dar, Akhtar Bibi, Shaista Khan, Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, Ali Jan Mazari, Salahuddin Junejo, Pir Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani, Zulfiqar Sattar Bachani, Muhammad Miqdad Ali Khan, Muhammad Saad Ullah, Usman Ali, and key officers from the National Assembly Secretariat, including Syed Shamoon Hashmi, Muhammad Mushtaq, and Zafar Zultan.

The Sindh Assembly delegation, led by Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah, featured a cross-section of leadership, including Ministers Muhammad Ali Malkani, Shahid Salam Thaheem, and Riaz Shah Sheerazi; Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi; and MPAs Yusuf Baloch, Khurram Karim Soomro, Sher Muhammad Mugheri, Nida Khuhro, Makhdoom Fakhar Zaman, Taimoor Talpur, Sadia Javed, Najam Mirza, Shazia Karim Singhar, and Muhammad Awais. Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh Babul Khan Bhayo and former MNA Ahsan Khan Mazari along with Secretary G.M. Umar Farooq and DG Irfan Ahmed Memon were present.

The meeting focused the critical role young legislators must play in addressing the nation’s challenges. President YPF  stressed the importance of eradicating political polarization and promoting unity among the youth. She declared that YPF Pakistan would ensure seamless collaboration between its federal and provincial chapters, working collectively to empower nationalism and strengthen democratic values.

Both President Nosheen Iftikhar and Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah emphasized the need to tackle misinformation and disinformation, which have emerged as significant threats to governance and democracy. It was agreed to jointly address these issues through education, legislation, and awareness campaigns.

The discussions also charted a roadmap for mutual collaboration on pressing social challenges, including human rights, women’s rights, and youth-related issues. Both the YPF Pakistan and YPF Sindh chapters, with the support of the Sindh Assembly, pledged to drive legislative efforts that promote equality, inclusion, and opportunity.

President Iftikhar proposed holding regular sessions and capacity-building seminars to equip legislators with the tools to navigate these complex issues.

Syed Awais Qadir Shah assured the delegation that the YPF Sindh chapter would reflect the province’s diversity, with an impartial cabinet representing all parliamentary parties.

‘The youth are the future of Pakistan,’ Speaker said. ‘It is their responsibility to lead with integrity, uphold democratic norms, and work tirelessly for a united and prosperous country.’ Reflecting on the words of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, he added, ‘Democracy is the best revenge,’ encouraging young leaders to defend democratic values with determination.

The delegation visited the Sindh Assembly building, where the Pakistan Resolution was passed, and the newly assembly building, where he shared his plans for the state-of-the-art E-Parliament Project. The Speaker highlighted that the project would modernize legislative operations, making the Sindh Assembly a paper-free and technology-driven institution.

As a token of Sindh’s rich cultural heritage, the Speaker presented the YPF delegation with Sindhi caps, ajraks.