Pakistan's Wajiha Qamar Calls for Stronger CICA Media Cooperation to Counter Disinformation

Pakistan's Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, Wajiha Qamar, has called for stronger cooperation among media institutions across member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Speaking while representing Pakistan in discussions among CICA members, Qamar said responsible journalism, media literacy and meaningful cross-cultural engagement are vital to building trust at a time when global discourse is increasingly polarized. She framed closer collaboration between media institutions as a practical tool for countering disinformation across the bloc's diverse membership.

CICA brings together a large number of Asian states to discuss security and cooperation issues, and member countries have periodically used such forums to address shared challenges beyond traditional security topics, including the spread of misinformation online. Qamar's remarks align with a broader push by several governments in the region to promote media literacy as a defense against false or misleading content.

Further details on specific steps or commitments arising from the discussions were not immediately available. Pakistani officials did not say whether a formal cooperation mechanism among CICA media institutions would be proposed.