In a rare admission, Indian news outlet India Today has acknowledged the powerful and coordinated digital response mounted by Pakistani social media users following recent regional tensions.
According to the report, Pakistani users demonstrated remarkable unity and effectiveness in countering Indian propaganda through digital platforms. The article notes that Pakistani social media was “nowhere behind” and had taken a dominant lead in shaping the online narrative in the aftermath of the recent military and diplomatic events.
Following the incident, hashtags calling out Indian actions began trending across platforms, with coordinated messaging targeting the Indian government and armed forces. India Today described the campaign as widespread and intense, reporting that over 45,000 tweets contributed to trending topics that highlighted Pakistan’s version of events.
The report also pointed out that Pakistani users made strategic use of intelligence cues, including referencing air defense systems and fighter jet activity, to reinforce their messaging. In one instance, a video that appeared to show a Saudi national being arrested by Pakistani authorities went viral, further amplifying the campaign.
India Today accused Pakistani users of portraying operations like FilesFlak—allegedly a UAE-based initiative—as Indian attempts to manipulate global opinion, further intensifying the narrative battle online.
Defense analysts praised the Pakistani public for using digital tools effectively, stating that they had united to expose false narratives and counter propaganda with precision. “The Pakistani people have demonstrated the power of digital unity,” one analyst said. “Their efforts disrupted the Indian narrative on a global scale.”
The report concluded by stating that even Indian media could not ignore the significant role played by Pakistani users. While Indian outlets labeled the campaign as “digital warfare,” many, including India Today, were compelled to recognize the public’s powerful and organized online presence.
