From Digital Education to Digital Terrorism - Opinion

JEFF Bezos once said that there is no alternative to digital transformation, and now we are witnessing it. Internet has revolutionized the life of every individual. From tech giants to the matters of national security, internet has influenced the evolution and transformation of national policies and laws. In recent years, first-world countries have reformed their laws aligned with the digital transformation, and changed their educational curriculum accordingly, but when it comes to Pakistan, we have always been on the backseat of evolution.

Pakistan is one of the countries where quality of internet is considered to be the lowest in the world. According to a report prepared by “Bytes for All”, more than 15 percent of Pakistani population has no access to the Internet. As of May 2024, Pakistan is ranked 125th and 155th in the global mobile broadband and the fixed broadband speed respectively. Stats show that most of Pakistani population has no access to high-speed internet. Digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence have redefined the dynamics of education and information, but unfortunately, the educational system of Pakistani has never been able to keep abreast of these advancements.

The obsolete educational system has failed to instruct the digital rights and responsible use of technology to the students. There were almost 111.0 million internet users in the country at the start of 2024, but a vast majority of these people is unknown of the digital rights and responsibilities. Pakistan has failed miserably to provide digital education to its citizen, which is the right of every human being in the modern world. Most of our schools, colleges, and universities are still not equipped with high-speed internet, which is the root cause of digital terrorism.

Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership are on the same page to combat politically motivated digital terrorism. Government has formulated several laws to bar, this so-called digital terrorism, but this is not the only solution to resolve this threat. We dwell in an age of technology where smart phones and internet are readily available to everyone, but somehow the state has failed to control the odds, like the flow of information and tech, for which X (formerly twitter) is the right example. Nowadays, social media gives voice and platform to anyone who wants to be under the spotlight. Self-proclaimed experts are speaking of foreign policy, national security, border management and national affairs.

Such misinformation and propaganda have poisoned young brains. These so-called experts generate millions of dollars from their content, just because the citizens are unaware of the truth. Several minds are working to create chaos and misinformation against national security and institutions. Extremism is at the peak, from markets to our mobile screens, digital extremism is of serious concern for national and the diplomatic community living in Pakistan. Politically motivated digital extremists are the real culprits behind the May 9 incident, and they are still building a narrative against Pakistan.

It has become an uncontrolled phenomenon that the online platforms are used to promote polarized narratives for political advantage. The seriousness of the threat is reflected in the establishment mindset, as they are determined to fight digital terrorism, but efforts to create a resilient and educated public must also be supported. The government needs to organize digital workshops at the district level, which can be helpful for the youth as well as for the common citizens of Pakistan. Our educational system should be fully equipped with smart digital technologies, which can bring about positive change in the development of Pakistan. These issues must be addressed on an urgent basis because mere ordinances and laws cannot stop digital terrorism.

Consistent efforts can change the dynamics of this threat. With the ultimate objective to establish an environment of social cohesion, informed discourse, and positive engagement, which can be encouraged through the use of digital mediums. All stakeholders: government, defence forces, civil society, public sector and the people must work together to achieve this goal. By working together, we can optimize the benefits of digital technology and can rectify its drawbacks. Together we can lay the foundation of a digital Pakistan with an environment free from digital terrorism.

The writer is a Researcher based in Islamabad.

Muhammad Asim Saddiqi

This article was originally published on Pakistan Observer.