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Pakistan has not just defended its borders with rockets, missiles, jets, and drones. It has also fought a parallel battle in the digital realm. Where truth is under siege and perception can be weaponized. As the conflict unfolded, fake news, deep-fakes, doctored videos, and coordinated disinformation campaigns flooded social media and mainstream platforms. The line between fact and fiction was deliberately blurred, not only to mislead the public but also to manipulate global narratives, provoke emotional reactions, and influence battlefield outcomes.
Fake news levels on major Indian channels exceeded 90%, revealing a systemic problem in war reporting.
According to the Global Risks Report 2024, the rapid spread of false information is one of the most critical and destabilising risks. In an era of technological advancements and widespread connectivity, misinformation has become pervasive, often undermining public trust in institutions and governments. This phenomenon is hazardous in politically and economically fragile societies, where the proliferation of false narratives can escalate tensions, polarise communities, and hinder effective decision-making.
Both nations share a long and troubled history marked by wars, territorial disputes, and deep-rooted communal tensions. These historical animosities are often mirrored in the digital realm, where a significant portion of online content, including messages, tweets, videos, and images, tends to evoke emotions of pride, anger, hatred, fear, and nationalism.
Consequently, netizens frequently circulate fake news, doctored videos, deepfakes, and disinformation without undertaking proper verification or authentication. The spread of misinformation and disinformation is not just a byproduct of the digital age. Still, it is also amplified by the growing interconnectivity of social media platforms, where fake News and propaganda can go viral with alarming speed.
During the recent crisis, social media, particularly the Indian mainstream media’s race to be the first to break News and its jingoistic approach, has not only contributed to the spread of fake News, hate, and communal tension but also breached ethical standards and editorial guidelines. This trend has been very dangerous in the context of nuclear-armed rivals, where sensationalism and misinformation have fueled crises rather than promoting factual reporting and calming the situation.
Indian mainstream media’s jingoistic approach contributed to misinformation and heightened communal tensions.
The consequences of false information are far-reaching. During the conflict, we have seen a sharp rise in disinformation and fake news campaigns, particularly from the Indian mainstream media, chronicling India’s overwhelming success. For example, one such News report that India has attacked Pakistan’s nuclear assets, two fighter jets were destroyed, and the Indian navy destroyed Karachi port. Former Indian military official Gen.Yashmor, while discussing the Indian media in a podcast, argued that mainstream media has become a tool of propaganda.
It is better to watch movies and listen to songs than to watch the News. Well-renewed media outlets reported that attacks on Pakistan’s nuclear sites caused radiation leaks. They also shared fake and doctored satellite images and videos, which were later rejected by different fact-checkers and competent authorities. Moreover, video footage from a blast that occurred last month at Shahid Rajaee Port, Iran, was portrayed as an Indian navy attack on Karachi.
Propaganda is most convincing when it begins to override critical thinking, the ability to ask questions, and directly appeals to emotions. According to a report by a think tank journal, the dissemination of fake war-related News across primary Indian television news channels reveals that a staggering percentage of the monitored war news content was false, with most channels recording fake news levels above 90%. For instance, Times Now aired 10,700 war-related stories, of which 99.15% were found to be bogus, leaving only three correct reports.
Pakistani media projected clarity, calmness, and fact-based narratives amid the crisis.
Similarly, Republic Bharat and NDTV India had 98.96% and 98.29% fake news, respectively, while Aaj Tak reported 97.44% false content. Even channels perceived as slightly more balanced, such as CNBC Awaaz and Bharat24, had fake news rates of 88.21% and 89.17%, respectively. The remaining news items on these channels were either partially correct or marginally accurate, with very few truly factual stories. This trend, which spans thousands of hours of televised content, suggests a systemic issue rather than sporadic journalistic failures.
| Channel | Total War News | Fake News (%) | Partially Correct | Correct |
| Aaj Tak | 7,800 | 97.44% (7,600) | 98 | 102 |
| ABP News | 9,800 | 93.98% (9,210) | 460 | 130 |
| Bharat24 & Bharat Express | 12,000 | 89.17% (10,700) | 997 | 303 |
| CNBC Awaaz | 6,700 | 88.21% (5,910) | 580 | 210 |
| India News & India TV | 9,800 | 95.10% (9,320) | 446 | 34 |
| Times Now | 10,700 | 99.15% (10,610) | 87 | 3 |
| Republic Bharat | 6,740 | 98.96% (6,670) | 67 | 3 |
| NDTV India | 8,760 | 98.29% (8,610) | 137 | 13 |
| News 18 India | 9,760 | 93.34% (9,110) | 580 | 70 |
On the other hand, Pakistani media have projected a responsible, mature, and deeply institutionalised understanding of power dynamics in contemporary geopolitics. This time, Islamabad was not broadcasting chaos, hate, or fake news; instead, it communicated clarity, coherence, calmness, confidence, and fact-based information. Pakistani media appeared more focused, constructive, and globally oriented, setting the tone for international discourse rather than fueling hate or warmongering.
Coverage largely centred on facts rather than fiction, with a precise aim at reaching a global audience. Senior officials, including the Foreign Minister, Information Minister, Defence Minister, and the DG ISPR, actively engaged with major international media outlets in a calm and measured manner, demonstrating the kind of leadership essential during crises. They consistently reiterated Pakistan’s denial of involvement and called for an impartial, third-party investigation, underscoring a desire for transparency rather than escalation.
Strategically, Pakistan ensured its narrative was amplified worldwide, appearing on platforms ranging from CNN and Sky News to TRT and Al Arabiya, so the Pakistani perspective could be heard. Each official conveyed a consistent message, reflecting evident policy clarity: Pakistan seeks accountability and transparency, not conflict.
On social media, hashtags such as #PakistanSpeakPeace, #TruthforKashmir, and #WhoBenefits trended globally. Notably, these efforts were not driven by bots, but by influencers, diplomats, civil society actors, and journalists, conveying the message that Pakistan desires peace, while India appears to seek a scapegoat.
Influential media figures, such as Mehdi Hasan and Peter Oborne, alongside respected think tanks like the Carnegie Endowment, echoed and reinforced this narrative. According to media sentiment analysis tools like Meltwater Trends and DGDELTS, Pakistan’s international image shifted from neutral to positive during this period.
A report by the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate (CSOH), a Washington-based think tank, titled Inside the Misinformation and Disinformation War Between India and Pakistan, highlighted that Twitter has become the primary virtual battleground. Their analysis of 437 Twitter posts revealed that 179 originated from verified accounts, while only 73 contained community notes illustrating how verified voices played a critical role in shaping the discourse.
Social media became a virtual battleground, with verified accounts playing a key role in shaping discourse.
The current situation in Indian media, characterised by rampant disinformation, sensationalism, and radicalised nationalism, is deeply alarming, primarily in such a volatile, nuclear-armed region. In recent Indo-Pak tensions, Indian media played an extremely irresponsible role, with newsrooms acting more like extensions of political propaganda than as impartial sources of truth.
The propagation of fake war footage, exaggerated claims of military success, and unfounded accusations against Pakistan fueled public hysteria and political pressure for escalation. The implications for South Asia’s future peace and security are grave. One misreported event, one media-fueled provocation, or one deep-fake could lead to miscalculation. The cost of such a mistake would be catastrophic for South Asia.
The author is a Research Officer at the Centre for International Strategic Studies, AJK. He holds an MPhil in International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. He is an alumnus of the Near East South Asia (NESA) Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defence University (NDU), Washington, DC. His expertise includes cyber warfare and strategy, arms control, and disarmament.
