Pakistan Spreads Misinformation on Social Media to Distort Facts

New Delhi : In the wake of India’s precision retaliatory strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, a visibly nervous Islamabad has resorted to an aggressive digital misinformation campaign aimed at distorting facts, misleading international media, and manipulating public sentiment. Multiple fake narratives, images, and videos are being circulated on social media by Pakistani accounts in an attempt to project fabricated military successes and conceal its own vulnerabilities.

One of the more glaring examples includes Pakistan falsely claiming that its missile had struck India’s air defence system. However, the image used to support this claim is actually from a fire incident at a military site in Moscow that occurred in 2023—completely unrelated to the current situation.

Another misleading post features an old video from Indonesia, wrongly portrayed as evidence of an attack on an Indian military colony. Similarly, a photo from the Ukraine-Russia conflict is being passed off as a Pakistani Army operation intercepting an Indian UAV drone. These deliberate fabrications reflect a larger strategy by Islamabad to divert attention from its sheltering of terrorist groups and to recast the narrative in its favour using deceptive visuals and claims.

Defence analysts have termed this disinformation offensive as “digital theatrics” designed to mask Pakistan’s internal insecurities and its failure to retaliate credibly. The false content is not only damaging but also poses risks of spreading confusion and panic among the public.

Amid these attempts to weaponize social media, Indian citizens are urged to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of any sensitive content being shared online. The government has reiterated the importance of countering propaganda by promptly reporting misleading or suspicious posts.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, through its PIB Fact Check initiative, continues to debunk viral fake news and disinformation. Citizens are encouraged to report such content to PIB Fact Check via:

• WhatsApp: 8799711259

• Email: socialmedia@pib.gov.in

In this critical time, where information warfare is being used alongside conventional conflict, maintaining digital vigilance is crucial.