ISLAMABAD – Fake News Watchdog exposed Indian state controlled media’s deliberate war of lies against Pakistan as two nuclear armed nations witnessed escalation after New Delhi’s false flag operation in occupied Kashmir.
A week after two sides agreed on ceasefire, an investigative report released by Fake News Watchdog revealed extensive manipulation and dissemination of false information by Indian media during the recent conflict between Pakistan and India from May 7 to May 10.
The detailed report exposes how Indian mainstream media engaged in widespread propaganda campaign using fake videos, images, and misinformation to tarnish Pakistan’s image and gain a perceived advantage in the conflict. Indian social media accounts also posted thousands of fabricated scenes of destruction in Pakistan, weaponizing fake news as part of their wartime strategy.
In a press briefing after Operation Sandor, Indian Ministry of External Affairs linked footage from Iraq in 2007 to the Pulwama attack, while videos of Israel’s Iron Dome system from 2021 were falsely shown as part of India’s defense capabilities. Animated missile strikes broadcast by India Today were also presented as actual attacks.
The report further highlights circulation of deepfake videos purportedly showing Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conceding defeat, along with fabricated news of Indian military incursions into Pakistan. Indian channels aired false claims of the detention of Pakistan’s army chief and unsubstantiated allegations by India’s defense minister regarding civilian casualties in Pakistan.
Fake war statistics linked to international media were widely shared, alongside fabricated breaking news of attacks on Islamabad and fake satellite imagery of destruction at Pakistan’s Sargodha airbase. False reports of Pakistani aircraft crashes in Srinagar and claims of shooting down Pakistani jets by Indian forces were also circulated.
AI generated videos shows US and Israeli aircraft landing in Jaipur were utilized as propaganda tools. Social media was also flooded with fake news about capture of pilots from both countries, leading to international embarrassment for Indian media.
The report further concludes that after ceasefire, the credibility of Indian media suffered severe blow both domestically and globally due to the fake news campaign, which was reportedly government-supported throughout the conflict. Fake News Watchdog has called for immediate and effective actions to curb the spread of misinformation in future conflicts.
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