Nowshera: The activity of fake journalists in government offices and the promotion of unverified news on social media pages, coupled with the significant silence from the Deputy Commissioner and other government and sensitive institutions, is a cause for concern.
It has become a common practice for these fake journalists, operating under social media pages, to deceive government officials and staff to gain personal benefits. They enter government offices in the district, pretending to be journalists, even though they lack TV channel, newspaper, or information department credentials. Their ability to obtain critical information, which is typically reserved for genuine field journalists, is troubling. Moreover, these impostors often engage in photo sessions with highly educated and high-ranking officials merely for blackmail purposes.
Despite the existence of lists of responsible journalists for TV channels and newspapers in government offices, public relations officers also contribute to the issue by aiding these fraudsters. These impostors take photos in government offices, falsely presenting themselves as real journalists while engaging in various forms of exploitation. They also spread unverified news against departments such as police, customs, excise, education, and health on social media. The lack of action by the Deputy Commissioner of Nowshera and sensitive agencies against these fake journalists has left field journalists in the district deeply concerned. There is a demand for action against these impostors who undermine the esteemed profession of journalism.