A picture is worth a thousand words, it is said. Today, mass media, particularly visual media, plays a critical role in instilling a sense of awareness in society. Visual media refers to various communication channels or methods by which knowledge and information are conveyed to viewers or readers via knowledge, television, cinema, posters, and so on. Whatever is delivered through visual media has an immediate and long-lasting impact on the minds of the viewers.

Even within the relatively short lifespan of the modern internet, social media platforms have evolved drastically. Common social media platforms have gone from rudimentary chat rooms, blogs, and email services, to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube in a matter of decades. Though focused on the internet and social media, the link between social media platforms and narrative is fundamental because, as described previously where people are congregating there are always narrative processes occurring.

Negative news on social media is always disseminated promptly and widely which leads to negative economic and social outcomes that render a practical research agenda necessary to understand user sharing decisions. Moreover, news posted on social media usually includes images, but little is known about the role of such images in shaping user decisions to share negative news.

The young mind accepts the reel as real and is thus more easily molded and motivated by visual media. Today’s fashion, hairdressing, sexual liberties, dating, and awakening to children’s rights, as well as women’s rights, are all a result of the role that visual media has played in society. There is nothing wrong if visual media has such an emphatic effect on viewers, but channel owners must understand that if they show something of a violent nature, it can undermine the positivity of the role to be played by the media.

It is argued that the role of the media is to bring reality to the public, but how does showing mutilated burnt churned bodies help society or our nation? Some of channels are playing an important role in awakening the common man against corruption, the rotten outdated rites that continue to pollute society, superstitions, the killing of the female unborn child, and other societal evils. These are all very positive developments that have resulted in the authorities being on high alert and the government taking steps in the right direction.

ISKP, TTP, and BLF-BLA have managed to stay afloat by keeping its brand of militancy alive is through robust social media propaganda and its worldwide network of branches.

Likewise, ISKP, TTP, and BLF-BLA have managed to stay afloat by keeping its brand of militancy alive is through robust social media propaganda and its worldwide network of branches. No terror group has honed the art of using social media to stay relevant and promote its jihadist agenda as well as ISKP. It prioritized propaganda by replacing the centrality of territory with terrorist attacks and social media propaganda. ISKP accords propagandists the same weight it gives to its fighters. Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Productions and Communications, ISKP’s main propaganda arm, is transnational. ISKP attaches great significance to the power of propaganda on social media.

ISKP prioritized propaganda by replacing the centrality of territory with terrorist attacks and social media propaganda. ISKP accords propagandists the same weight it gives to its fighters. Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Productions and Communications, ISKP’s main propaganda arm, is transnational.

ISKP has begun publishing books, magazines, print statements, and video translations in English to globalize its local and regional narratives. ISKP’s designated branch media organ has been central to the group’s revamped media and communications strategy. The outlet emerged from an ecosystem of competing but aligned pro-IS propaganda groups and became the primary media wing for the development and dissemination of ISKP messaging. It has been thoroughly weaponized and deployed to advance ISKP’s media warfare strategy, ramping up threats to a lengthened list of countries and declared enemies.

BLF-BLA spread visual propaganda by closely filming their attacks on the army and paramilitary personal. They film convoys when attacked by IED’s, with native music in the background to provoke the sentiments if the masses. Similarly, Baloch dissidents in London UK, hung posters of the militant organization, to induce a visual impact on the people, to detriment of our national policy.

ISKP’s, TTP’s and BLF-BLA wars against the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban governments are comprised of interconnected kinetic insurgent campaigns and media warfare efforts. These terror outfits release videos entirely focused on criticizing and threatening the Pakistani government for its moral corruption, religious degradation, domestic policies, and foreign relations. And they tend to generate lots of national and international media attention. It provides a succinct summation of core anti-Pakistan propaganda narratives the group has developed over the past few years.

Hostile elements may use such occasions in order to accomplish their heinous objectives. It is very unfortunate that anti-state actors are actively working against the national interests of the country to undermined the overall security environment of the country. They have been using Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook and You Tube and many others as well extensively to spread venom against state of Pakistan. All this is being done at the behest of particular groups in order to create political and economic instability and undermine overall security environment of the country.

Anti-state actors are actively working against the national interests of the country to undermined the overall security environment of the country. They have been using Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook and You Tube and many others as well extensively to spread venom against state of Pakistan.

To debunk propaganda claims, robust counter-narratives are needed especially on social media. Publicity is the bloodline of terrorist groups, as terrorism by definition is propaganda by deed. Terrorist groups practice violence to highlight their political or ethnic grievances, draw attention to their causes and demands, or promote their ideological worldviews. The advent of social media has further enhanced the importance of propaganda for terrorist groups. These days, social media wings are the most important part of any terrorist group’s organizational structure. Social media wings of terror groups are responsible for broadcasting their respective organizations’ viewpoints, serve as a means of communication with the outer world, and hunt for new potential recruits and donors.

To debunk propaganda claims, robust counter-narratives are needed especially on social media. Publicity is the bloodline of terrorist groups, as terrorism by definition is propaganda by deed.

In doing so it is also the responsibility of our national media, not to give too much wind to the narrative of the terrorists and try to limit showing the crime scenes very blatantly and respect the sentiments of the victims’ families, because such visual imagery has massive repercussions on the minds of public. As Noam Chomsky said: “Everyone’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s really an easy way: Stop participating in it.” Therefore, the only way to stop the spread of terrorism is to stop talking about it.

These terror groups robust propaganda strategy underscores the fact that military means alone will not be sufficient to overcome the ideological challenge it poses in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Instead, robust counter-narratives to debunking the group’s ideological claims with effective social media components will be crucial. The battle of ideas and narratives can only be won through better ideas and narratives, not bullets.

Robust counter-narratives to debunking the group’s ideological claims with effective social media components will be crucial. The battle of ideas and narratives can only be won through better ideas and narratives

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