Monitoring Desk, The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to re-recruit about 1300 social media influencers who worked in the previous government for pithing propaganda and fake news against opponents as well as state institutions.
According to Geo TV news, The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to re-recruit about 1300 social media influencers who worked in the previous government for pithing propaganda.
It is pertinent to mention that 1,300 plus individuals were involved in the poisonous propaganda against the Pakistan Army and its members were instrumental in instigating incidents like May 9. The caretaker provincial government immediately disbanded the propaganda cell and dismissed these people from their jobs. Since the PTI government is back under the leadership of CM Ali Amin Gandapur, the rehiring of the slur brigade has been planned and these social media influencers will be used to propagandize against state institutions at the expense of taxpayers.
An amount of Rs800 million will be allocated for the social media participatory platform project
Each social media influencer will get a salary of 30,000 per month while the budget of the money-starved Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will be burdened by billions of rupees.
The Social Media Influencers (SMIs) will spread fake news and plan negative propaganda against state institutions like the Pakistan Army and members of the Judiciary who behave according to the law and do not follow the PTI narrative.
An amount of Rs800 million will be allocated for the social media participatory platform project. Each SMI will be paid Rs30,000 monthly salaries. All influencers will be recruited as interns for one year; however, the contract will be extendable.
According to the criterion for the job, the candidates must have at least 1,000 followers on any social media platform
The opposition parties in KPK have termed the recruitment of social media influencers an attempt to spread chaos in politics. SMIs will operate from Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Abbottabad, Battagram, Buner, Chitral Lower, Hangu, Haripur, Karak, Kohat, Kohistan Upper, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Mansehra, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi, Swat, Tank, Tor Ghar, Kohistan Lower, Bajaur, Khar, Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, North Waziristan, Orakzai, South Waziristan, FR Bannu, FR Dera Ismail Khan, FR Kohat, FR Lakki Marwat, FR Peshawar, FR Tank, Kolai Pallas, and Chitral Upper.
“The government will use these youngsters as keyboard warriors against the institutions and individuals. Social media will be used to defame politicians, Judicial officials, and the Pakistan Army to spread anarchy in the country”, claimed an insider in the KPK Information Department who was unhappy with politically motivated recruitments by the PTI government.
The project will be executed through an independent Project Director (PD) of the social media participatory platform. Furthermore, three communication consultants would be hired. Apart from the PD and communication consultants, one regular accountant would assist in the accounting matters of the project. The activities as per project objectives will be carried out by the social media influencers.
According to the criterion for the job, the candidates must have at least 1,000 followers on any social media platform.
