DUBAI – A meeting in Dubai between Indian YouTuber and social media analyst Dhruv Rathee and a Pakistani digital media marketer has drawn significant attention on social media.
The interaction went viral after Pakistani digital marketer Sohaib Tariq shared a video on his Instagram account, showing him shaking hands with Dhruv Rathee and praising his work.
During the conversation in the video, Sohaib Tariq also raised a sensitive and controversial question. He said that he, like many others, regularly watches Dhruv Rathee’s videos, but had reservations about one video produced after “Operation Sindoor.”
According to Sohaib, the references used in that video were largely based on Indian media reports, creating the impression that the content may have been prepared in haste.
Sohaib Tariq also referred to another video in which Dhruv Rathee mentioned Indian media reporting that made claims about the capture of Karachi port. He questioned whether such content had also been presented without proper verification.
In response, Dhruv Rathee smiled and said that he has consistently criticized Indian media, particularly television news channels. However, he added that not every news report published in newspapers can be outrightly dismissed as false. Viewers’ reactions to his response appeared clearly divided.
After the video went viral, a large number of Pakistani social media users opined that Dhruv Rathee failed to give a clear and satisfactory answer. Following this reaction, Sohaib Tariq released another video in which he said that he had raised the question not in a personal capacity but as a representative of the Pakistani public, adding that the response did not meet his expectations.
Some users also criticized Sohaib Tariq for not taking a firmer stance during the discussion. Responding to this criticism, he said that civility is essential despite differences of opinion. He added that even if the other person belongs to a rival country, it does not justify rude or aggressive behavior.
The debate has resurfaced against the backdrop of last year’s limited tensions between Pakistan and India in May, when some Indian media channels allegedly aired fabricated and unverified reports. During that period, claims were made about the capture of several Pakistani cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad and Sialkot, which were later proven to be baseless.
Dhruv Rathee is a prominent Indian YouTuber, social media influencer, and political and social analyst. He is widely popular among young audiences for presenting complex political, social, and environmental issues in a simple and logical manner. He has over 30 million subscribers on YouTube, and his content focuses on Indian politics, government policies, democracy, the economy, and fake news—earning him both praise and criticism.
