New Delhi: In an attempt to control the narrative, Pakistan unleashed a full-blown disinformation offensive following missile strikes by Indian Armed Forces under ‘Operation Sindoor’ early on Wednesday.
Soon after the precision strikes targeting terror camps, pro-Pakistan social media handles and even influential political figures flooded internet with fake news, pushing old and doctored videos. The goal: Spread falsehoods so quickly and overwhelmingly that it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) described these as a coordinated attempt by Pakistan to mislead the media, distort the global narrative, and manipulate public perception in the wake of India’s successful operation. “Pakistan is trying to create the illusion of a strong counter-response,” it said.
Old Images and Misleading Claims Go Viral
One of the most prominent examples is a viral image falsely claiming that the Pakistan Army had shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur. The image, however, was debunked by PIB Fact Check, which confirmed that it was actually from a MiG-21 crash in Moga, Punjab, in 2021 — entirely unrelated to current events.
Another brazen piece of misinformation surfaced in the form of a video falsely claiming that the Indian Army raised a white flag and surrendered at Chora Post. This fabricated narrative was amplified by Pakistan’s Minister Attaullah Tarar, who publicly endorsed the claim without a shred of evidence. By lending official weight to an unverified and clearly false story, Tarar not only misled his own citizens but also actively contributed to the propaganda campaign.
Allahu Akber✌️
After losing six warplanes including three Rafaels, two brigade headquarters and several posts, India finally raised the white flag on the Line of Control.🤌
Pakistan Zindabad, Pakistan Army Zindabad🇵🇰❤🤲#IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/wWlZJ7aBsK— Maria Mushtaq (@GurlWithABun) May 7, 2025
Unrelated Footage Passed Off as Combat Evidence
In another misleading post, a video was circulated with the claim that the Pakistan Air Force targeted the Srinagar airbase. In reality, this footage was traced back to sectarian clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, that occurred in early 2024. The video had no connection to Kashmir or any recent airstrike.
A separate rumour claimed that Pakistan destroyed an Indian Brigade Headquarters, a claim that has no basis in fact and has been entirely fabricated, according to defense sources.
Additionally, another old image — this time of a MiG-29 crash in Barmer, Rajasthan, from September 2024 — was recirculated by pro-Pakistan social media handles to imply recent Indian Air Force losses, which did not occur.
Also Read: No Indian Jets Shot Down! Pakistan Peddles Fake ‘Retaliation’ Narrative After Operation Sindoor
Speaking to CNN, Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry initially said: “I can confirm that two aircraft of Indian Air force have been taken down. The locations I have so far are around Bhatinda and Akhnoor in India.”
State broadcaster PTV further reported that Pakistan Air Force had shot down another Indian Rafale aircraft 17 nautical miles southwest of Awantipora.
Later, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told news agency Reuters that India has lost five planes. “Asif alleged that Indian soldiers had been taken prisoner following Pakistan’s response to India’s Operation Sindoor. However, these claims were promptly dismissed as false, with no evidence to support the assertion of captured soldiers. The [Pakistan] Defence Minister later retracted his statement, acknowledging that no Indian soldiers had been taken into custody,” the Ministry said.
Beijing’s state-run media outlet CGTN also shared old video to peddle Pakistani narrative. It posted picture of a fireball, claiming that Pakistan Air Force shot down three Indian fighter jets in response to overnight airstrikes carried out by India at multiple locations in Pakistan. However, the picture is at least 3 weeks old and was peddled by Pakistani accounts towards the end of April as the Line of Control. Now, it has become a crashed Indian jet.
The PIB Fact Check also rubbished social media posts, claiming that Pakistan destroyed Indian Brigade Headquarters.
Strategic Use of Misinformation
These incidents reflect a deliberate and coordinated attempt by Pakistan to mislead the media, distort the global narrative, and manipulate public perception in the wake of India’s successful strike under Operation Sindoor. By flooding social media with recycled images, unrelated videos, and fabricated claims, Pakistan is attempting to obscure the actual outcome of the operation and create the illusion of a strong counter-response. This strategy appears aimed at diverting attention from the effectiveness of India’s action, while simultaneously trying to influence both domestic sentiment and international opinion through false portrayals of battlefield developments.
Also Read: India Avenges Pahalgam, Attacks Terror Bases In Pakistan, PoK
Early this morning, India launched Operation Sindoor, a precise and restrained response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. The headquarters of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba groups in Muridke, were among the nine sites targeted in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: Jaish Chief Azhar Masood Mourns Loss Of Family Members, Wishes He Was Dead
India carried out the strikes from its own air space.
