An NGO investigating fake news has exposed the lies of Indian media regarding the Pahalgam incident.
After the Pahalgam incident, fake, fabricated, and dangerous news stories have been circulating.
In a 31-page investigative report, the Fake News Watchdog has made significant revelations. The irresponsible and negative reporting by Indian media during such a sensitive time has been equated to the murder of journalistic values.
According to the Fake News Watchdog, following the incident, a coordinated campaign was launched on social media to spread fake news, attempting to falsely link the attackers to the Pakistan Army.
The Watchdog also raised questions about the timing of events following the attack.
According to the report, there was a clear contradiction between eyewitness accounts of the attack and the Indian media’s reporting. A heart-wrenching photo of a child taken in 2018 in Kashmir was wrongly associated with the Pahalgam incident, while an explanatory video of an Indian couple severely undermined the Indian narrative.
A picture of a man holding an AK-47, taken in Afghanistan in 2022, was wrongly identified as the attacker in the Pahalgam incident, while fabricated news of Pakistan threatening nuclear war added fuel to the fire.
The news of chaos at petrol pumps in Pakistan was deemed absurd.
The fake news watchdog reported that fake news about the escape of Pakistan Army generals’ families went viral on social media, while false reports about a fire at Lahore Airport further increased public anxiety.
Indian media falsely portrayed protests by the PFUJ in Azad Kashmir, and AI-generated images showed fabricated dozens of bodies at the scene of the incident.
The report indicated that due to the pressure of fake news, both countries were forced to take harsh decisions. The linking of the attack by a local separatist group to a neighboring country caused diplomatic damage to both countries. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and airspace closures will have severe consequences for both nations.
The fake news watchdog has recommended organizing training sessions on fake news in India and suggested that the Indian news broadcasters and digital association play a role in eradicating racial and religious bias in journalism.
It also advised governments to reduce reliance on TV reporting and social media posts when making decisions.
