At the D‑8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Media Forum held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Pakistan’s Information & Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar called for a unified media strategy among member states to fight misinformation and promote positive narratives.
Tarar pointed out that the information landscape has transitioned from print to electronic and now to digital platforms, and emphasised that member nations must collaborate to establish a common code of ethics and responsible communication practices.
Highlighting Pakistan’s youthful population — where 68 percent of people are under 30 and there are around 117 million internet users — he said the younger generation and “digital natives” are already shaping narratives, especially during crises.
He proposed that the D-8 bloc should develop a joint fact-checking mechanism, create dedicated social media handles, and adopt a “Baku Declaration of Media Collaboration” to strengthen counter-disinformation efforts and highlight success stories from member states.
Tarar also noted that Pakistan will assume the D-8 Secretary-General role in January 2026, and stressed the need to prepare for emerging threats such as AI-generated fake content by instituting clear labeling and transparent media practices.