- Islamabad’s delegate tells UNGA’s Fourth Committee disinformation being used to conceal repression, distort realities
- Calls for global push to counter manipulation, uphold truth and ethics and stressing equitable access to digital tools, cites 2030 SDG commitments
- Warns AI misuse can ‘magnify lies with impunity’ if left unchecked, flagging surge in Islamophobia, hate speech, and xenophobic propaganda
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has warned that occupying powers are increasingly weaponizing information to conceal repression, distort realities, and delegitimize legitimate struggles for self-determination—a trend it said poses a grave threat to global peace and the credibility of multilateral institutions.
“Through internet shutdowns, restrictive media laws, and digital surveillance, these powers seek to silence dissent and manufacture a false narrative of stability,” Pakistani delegate Amanat Ali told the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, which deals with special political and decolonization matters.
Speaking in a debate on “Questions relating to Information,” he said the strategic manipulation of information has become a systemic tool to mask human rights abuses—a practice that runs counter to international law and the moral responsibilities of UN member states.
Ali, who serves as press counsellor at Pakistan’s Mission to the UN, cautioned that the deliberate distortion of facts to mislead populations, malign nations, and erode trust in multilateral mechanisms has now become an entrenched feature of modern information warfare.
Statement by Mr. Amanat Ali
Counsellor Press at the Pakistan Mission
At the General Debate of the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly
On the Agenda Item 53 “Questions relating to Information”
(November 3, 2025)
******Mr. Chair
Distinguished Delegates
Pakistan aligns… pic.twitter.com/gXVXBLzbcm
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) November 4, 2025
Pakistan, he said, believes that timely, accurate, and impartial dissemination of information is critical to advancing the UN’s principles and initiatives. “Where information should serve humanity and foster understanding, its misuse corrodes public trust, sows polarization, and weakens multilateral cooperation,” he added.
“Pakistan hopes to reinforce the belief that information is not merely a commodity but a public good—and more importantly, a shared responsibility,” the delegate asserted.
Turning to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative technologies, Ali said these innovations hold great potential to improve governance—but also carry the peril of manipulation if left unregulated. “When weaponized, they hone the power to deceive and distort reality,” he warned. “Left unchecked, these tools can magnify lies with impunity.”
The Pakistani delegate emphasized the urgent need to bridge digital divides, noting that unequal access to information technologies continues to exclude vast populations from innovation and opportunity. “Without equitable access, the promise of digital transformation will remain uneven,” he said. “Bridging this divide is indispensable for achieving an inclusive digital economy and realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
He said Pakistan attaches great importance to multilingualism and cultural diversity, stressing that the UN’s message must reach people “in the languages they understand and trust.”
Highlighting the rise of hate speech, Islamophobia, and xenophobia online, Ali urged stronger international action and responsible platform governance to counter these threats. “The spread of hate speech remains a pressing concern, often resulting in real-world harm,” he said. “Pakistan calls for sustained advocacy by the UN to promote pluralism and tolerance.”
He also cautioned against false narratives on global platforms concerning issues such as climate, health, and the environment — stressing that misinformation in these domains undermines collective action.
“Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promoting accurate, inclusive, and ethical information as a force for good,” Ali said. “We remain deeply supportive of the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) in ensuring that the global information ecosystem becomes more tolerant, just, and accountable.”
“Only through informed societies,” he concluded, “can we sustainably combat the scourge of disinformation.”
