Islamabad: A senior army officer had suggested that the Pakistan Army “must acquire” a television channel for the dissemination of propaganda to counter the growing penetration of Indian TV and News Channel in Pakistan.
The unusual recommendation has been made in one of the strategy papers written for the prestigious ‘Green Book’ of the Pakistan Army that provides rare insights into its ongoing internal debates.
It said, “Indian media invasion could not be countered during Kargil episode.”
Major General Muhammad Azam Asif commands an infantry division has recommended that the Pakistan Army must acquire a television channel as well as a radio station to counter the “Indian propaganda”.
The media report said that Asif has claimed that the Pakistani media lacks credibility among the masses due to which the general public is compelled to tune in to AIR, BBC and Indian satellite channels during a period of crisis or whenever an important event takes place.
He also present the example of 1971 war between India and Pakistan and said that the “primary aim of the Indian media was to defeat the enemy psychologically and disarm them morally”.
Asif has stated in Green Book, “Our adversary (India) has taken big strides in acquiring media power and has been putting it to good use for her benefits.”
“With a number of television channels and remarkable advancement in the information technology, India has attained a total electronic media supremacy over Pakistan.”
Therefore, he has called for a brainstorming session between the Pakistani media and the Pakistan Army, saying if the nation is not motivated enough to withstand the aggression, it cannot aspire to preserve freedom.
Report claimed that many serving senior army officers have expressed concerns in their strategy papers that Indian TV and print publications (news or entertainment) are available widely across Pakistan through both legitimate means and piracy.
The Green Book has even claimed that the Kargil War of 1999 was lost by Pakistan because of the relentless media barrage praising the bravery of the Indian troops, thus destroying the fighting spirit of the Pakistan Army.
Bureau Report
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