Just after signing an open letter alleging online harassment Mehmal Sarfraz went OnAir with Indian media describing the so called curbs on freedom of expression in Pakistan.

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This at a time, when world is critical of Indian #hindu supremacist govt’s fascistic policies of gagging, arresting & prosecuting journalists & free speech activists in India.

It served a purpose of providing Indian media outlets another chance of anti-Pakistan propaganda.

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This step by Mehmal Sarfraz also provided a justification for Indian media to cleverly equate India’s media blackout of Kashmir, curbs on free speech of Indian #Muslims & Indian civil society, by blaming Pakistan for engaging in similar behavior.

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Why do some Pakistani social & political activists such as Gul Bukhari, Ayesha Siddiqa, Hussain Haqqani & Mehmal Sarfraz frequently appear on Indian media, not to defend Pakistani interests or policies but to discuss issues that are used by India for anti Pakistan propaganda?

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Free speech can’t be used for foreign propaganda purposes, hence oldest democracy USA passed Foreign Agents Registration Act-FARA in 1938.

It requires US citizens engaging in public activities of campaigning, lobbying, reporting being funded by foreign principals/govts/orgs

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But is there any proof of Mehmal Sarfraz being funded by foreign govts, firms or orgs.

Yes there is!

Besides appearing on Pak media, she is a paid employee of India’s
The Hindu Media Group, office bearer of foreign funded SAFMA & CoFounder of a mysterious firm
THE CURRENT.

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Now what’s the ownership structure of this news organization called
THE CURRENT?

It is a social media startup headed by Hamid Mirs longtime producer Marrium Chaudhry as the Founder & Mehmel Sarfraz as the Co-Founder.

However, it’s source of funding is mysterious.

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The starup claims on its website that THE CURRENT is “self-funded” & “promoted by it founder.”

Whatever that means!

There are 2 founders,
is Marrium Chaudhry funding it?
or Mehmal Sarfraz funding it?

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Is their any foreign funding?

Yes there is..

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In April 2020 US technology publication Tech Crunch reported Google giving $2.3 million to 18 news orgs in Asia Pacific.

Mehmal Sarfaraz’s THE CURRENT is one of these orgs, which makes it a foreign funded company.

What are terms & conditions of this funding, we don’t know.

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Now we do know that Google is a US tech giant headed by an Indian CEO.

Not only is Sundar Pichai, just another Indian exec at a US firm, but he’s closely linked to Hindu supremacist Narendra Modi.

In July 2020, he pledged to pump $10bil for Modi’s Digital India scheme.

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Fact of the matter is that The Current is not just a Pakistani tech startup, but with Mehmal’s social activism & reporting for Indian media, it could be a source of foreign funding for feminist campaigns, liberal lobbying causes & Indian sponsored anti Pakistan propaganda.

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Qs is what’s the extent of influence of this foreign funding on Pakistani political discourse.

We won’t know until we have laws such as Foreign Agents Registration Act, which require registr of such media orgs as foreign agents, with exact details of funding objectives.

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Such laws would also encompass the registration of foreign funded political, religious & charity orgs.

Some of these orgs act as lobbying groups for foreign govts even at a detriment to Pakistani interests.

PTM & Tahir Ashrafi’s PUC both allegedly receive foreign funding.

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As per US experience, democracies are vulnerable to foreign meddling & propaganda due to practices of free speech & freedom of expression, thus govt regulations as FARA laws are needed.

We need these laws in Pakistan to prevent foreign meddling in our political processes.

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