Pakistan to set up 23-member media wing to lead digital diplomacy

The Pakistan government has decided to set up a 23-member media team to devise and lead strategy around digital diplomacy, a media report said on Tuesday.

According to Prime Minister's focal person on digital media Arslan Khalid, the cabinet had three weeks ago approved the allocation of a supplementary grant of 42 million Pakistani rupees during the current financial year for creation of a digital media wing at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Dawn news report said.

Media reports on Monday suggested that the digital media wing would be responsible for defending over social media any decision made by the government while also dealing with critics of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and explaining policies of the Imran Khan-led administration.

Refuting the claims, Khalid said the reports were misleading and the digital media wing had a broader mandate.

"The wing, apart from promoting the government's initiatives, will work on social media diplomacy, debunking fake news and optimisation of the digital media strategies, including advertising for campaigns," Khalid told Dawn news.

The government, he added, had also chalked out a social media policy for its departments. The team will ensure that the policy is fully implemented.

In terms of breakdown, the 23-member digital media wing will comprise a general manager, a digital media consultant, five digital communication officers, three video editors, two videographers, one photographer, four graphic designers, five content writers and one digital feed manager.

Khalid said recruitment would be public and an ad would be placed this week.