Balochistan Launches Major EU-Backed Media Literacy Drive for Over 500 University Faculty and Students
Chehra WebDesk
QUETTA, — A significant province-wide initiative to combat disinformation and promote critical thinking has been launched in Balochistan, aiming to train over 500 faculty members and students across public sector universities on Media Information Literacy (MIL).
The program, led by Individualland with support from the European Union Pakistan, concluded its first three-day capacity-building training in Quetta, which saw attendance from over 30 faculty members.
The initiative received high-level political endorsement. Governor Balochistan, Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, inaugurated the event and stressed the importance of critical analysis in the age of "pop culture in politics and media." He assured the organizers of the state’s "full support to expand it further."
Chief Minister Balochistan, who presided over the closing ceremony, highlighted the provincial government’s commitment to the cause. He announced a directive to the Sports and Youth Affairs Department to integrate MIL into the province’s Youth Engagement Plan, aiming to ensure the training "can reach every district."
Khoso Saifullah, Project Manager and Trainer at Individualland, emphasized the ambitious scope of the project. "Our goal is to make Media Information Literacy a nationwide movement—starting from classrooms and expanding to communities," he stated, adding that they aim to use e-learning and digital methodologies to equip both educators and students to effectively counter misinformation.
Faculty participants from various institutions, including Lasbela University, University of Gwadar, and Makran University Panjgur, praised the sessions. A professor from Makran University noted that the training not only "enhanced our understanding of Media Literacy" but also improved their e-learning skills, calling the high-level recognition "truly motivating."
The initial training session brought together educators from universities across the region and featured experts including Khoso Saifullah, Mashhood Ali (Trainer), Abdul Shakoor (RTI Commissioner, Quetta), and Syed Ali Shah (Senior Journalist).
This collective effort marks a crucial step toward promoting responsible media engagement, fact-checking, and building digital resilience among the youth of Balochistan.
