ISLAMABAD – Social media has made xenophobia, right-wing nationalism and white supremacist ideology deadlier, said Murtaza Solangi, as he commented on the ongoing anti-immigrant protests in the United Kingdom.

An individual from Rwanda committed a heinous crime, but someone on social media falsely claimed that the accused was a Muslim who had entered the illegally, he added.

Solangi was expressing his views in the weekly program “The Weekend” which is hosted by Muhammad Ali.

The United Kingdom is witnessing violent protests after three children were stabbed to death on July 27 in Southport. Police later arrested a 17-year-old accused, but made it clear that the deadly incident wasn’t terror-related.

However, the far-right groups are using disinformation as a tool to incite violence. Many businesses owned by Muslims, people of South Asian origin and other people of color have so far been targeted.

DISINFORMATION IS A LETHAL WEAPON

Solangi said the white supremacists used the opportunity to further fuel anti-immigrant sentiments already prevailing in Western societies. Youngsters – because of being addicted to social media – are prone to this threat, he added.

Anti-Immigrant Protests in the UK and the Role Played by Social Media | Stratheia Eye

At this point, Muhammad asked him whether disinformation is limited to social media only. Some of the mainstream British newspapers also joined the bandwagon, he mentioned to argue his case.

In his reply, Solangi agreed and noted that newsroom across the world, including Pakistan, have stopped bothering about checking the material shared on social media. They promote the same disinformation by ignoring verification rules, he regretted.

The ultranationalist forces exist in Western countries, not only in the UK but also the US, France, Germany and others, he said while talking about the beneficiaries of organized disinformation mechanism.

However, he said the mainstream British parties had mainly acted responsibly and also praised the reaction of law enforcement agencies and judiciary to tackle the challenge.

SOCIAL MEDIA CREATING CHAOS

According to Solangi, multiple studies show how social media has deprived youngsters of their childhood and early adulthood.

Citing a book “The Anxious Generation”, he shared the findings and analysis which can be summarized as: All the mamals [including humans] go through a process from childhood to adulthood with a social experience by interacting with their peers in playgrounds and other similar places. But social media has changed it since 2010-11 when these platforms became dominant.

They are now glowed to screens, thus depriving them of that essential social experience, Solangi said.

“It is a global pandemic,” he warned, as he mentioned how youngsters are facing mental health issues and becoming part of crimes, terrorism and other illegal activities.

ARSHAD NADEEM

Highlighting the rise of Arshad Nadeem – the first Olympic gold medalist from Pakistan in an individual sport – Muhammad Ali asked Solangi whether being poor and technology-deprived can be a blessing in disguise.

Solangi replied that Arshad Nadeem was lucky that he wasn’t taught and fed by a small screen. “Sound mind is in a sound body,” he quoted and said a lot of mental disorders and social trends were a product of youth lacking opportunities to play with others in a social setup.

“Arshad Nadeem has proved that all you need is to have that appetite to do something great,” he remarked.

“His competitor from India Neeraj Chopra had everything, but Arshad Nadeem had nothing,” Solangi said and added he showed the youth in Pakistan the importance of focus, dedication and commitment.

BANGLADESH PROTESTS

The people of that region had always a played a leading role in most political movements, Solangi said. Even the All India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka in 1906, he recalled.

Banking on this historic tradition, Solangi emphasized, the Bangladeshi protesters didn’t go for anarchy and pushed for a democratic constitutional transition.

The young generation in Bangladesh have proved that “they are not a prisoner of history”, he said. Their forefathers might have been affiliated with the Awami League, but they revolted against the discriminatory quota system, Solangi noted.

None of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government are career politicians, he said, with most of them being technocrats as the current setup is transitory in its nature.

According to Solangi, the young people do not accept the one-party role in countries with a strong parliamentary system. A similar attempt by the then Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was rejected in 1975 and her daughter Hasina Wajid experienced a failure in 2024 too.

There is shock, despair and disbelief in New Delhi, he noted, as the Awami League has always been close to India.