Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that in the age of social media with unrestricted content available, huge responsibility falls on intellectuals to guide the nation on preserving moral and ethical values.
“Social media is a reality and we cannot put restrictions on it. However, the scholars and intellectuals can inspire the people to distinguish between right and wrong,” he said in his address at the inauguration of the “Hall of Fame”, at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) in Islamabad.
According to the premier, through the power of words and pens, the intellectuals could help protect the ideology of a nation. He regretted that the moral and ethical values were gradually eroding, thus giving space for corruption.
He expressed concern over the rising cases of sex crimes in the country. Access to immoral content on social media regardless of age restriction is a big factor, he said. “In today’s Pakistan, the need for an effective input and involvement of our intellectuals has increased manifold.”
Finger pointing at the Indian society
PM Khan mentioned that Indian society faced the destruction of the family system as their films promoted objectionable content. And resultantly, New Delhi was titled the ‘rape capital’.
“A nation which fails to distinguish between the right and the wrong loses its character. Ethics and morals are the basic pillars of a strong society,” he added.
In addition to this, the premier urged the scholars to highlight the concept of Muslim societies of history. Wherein, Islam was spread through intellectual power rather than wars.
Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority
The prime minister said the main objective of establishing the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority by him was to develop a deeper understanding of the Sunnah besides preservation of the Islamic identity, values, and culture in the face of diverse social and digital media influences.
He stressed the need for an “intellectual revolution” in the country. The government would fully honor the scholars and promote them, he added.
PM Khan said that establishing the “Hall of Fame” at the PAL is an acknowledgment of the contribution of writers and intellectuals. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz and a large number of writers, poets, and intellectuals attended the event.
Earlier when announcing the formation of Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen, PM Khan spoke about the rise in divorce rates. Also, Bollywood and Hollywood’s influence on young Pakistanis, and his plans to change the challenges the Pakistani society faces today.
It may be recalled that the premier previously blamed “fahashi“ for the rise in sexual crime against women and children in Pakistan.
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