Islamabad, Jun 24 (IANS): In this information age, disinformation has emerged as a global pandemic, and like many other countries, Pakistan has been a victim of targeted campaigns of disinformation, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.

The Foreign Minister made the remarks here on Thursday while addressing virtually the meeting of the Group of Friends on Countering Disinformation for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in New York.

"The exponential proliferation of disinformation, especially through online platforms and social media, has spread social discord and fostered hate speech, racism, discrimination, xenophobia, and inter-state tensions and conflict," Zardari added.

Disinformation has often justified and intensified the violations of human rights, he said, adding that hybrid warfare pursued through disinformation is often the opening salvo of intervention and conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.

This pandemic of disinformation must be confronted, countered and defeated at the national and international level, the Foreign Minister said.

"We can succeed in doing so only through comprehensive international cooperation," he added.