The fact check unit (FCU) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has exposed Pakistan’s propaganda machinery, which has flooded social media with fake claims after India carried out Operation Sindoor on Wednesday to hit terrorist infrastructure across the border and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Following the early morning strikes, the FCU debunked at least five fabricated claims including reports of a malfunction in BrahMos missile components and the downing of a Rafale jet. These falsehoods were being circulated by pro-Pakistan social media accounts and prominent political figures in Pakistan.
Sources confirmed that on Wednesday alone, at least 24 accounts spreading misinformation about Operation Sindoor were identified.
Several users on ‘X’ shared an image claiming that the Pakistan Army had shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur. However, the FCU quickly debunked the claim, clarifying that the image was actually from a 2021 crash of a MiG-21 in Moga, Punjab, and had no connection to current events.
Another video surfaced on the micro-blogging site 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,” said officials.
In another misleading post, a video was circulated stating 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, said officials.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also made a baseless statement alleging that Indian soldiers had been taken as prisoner amid India’s strikes. However, these claims were promptly dismissed as false, with no evidence to support the assertion of captured soldiers. The Pakistan minister later retracted his statement, acknowledging that no Indian soldiers had been taken into custody.
Officials said that post India’s decisive strike under ‘Operation Sindoor’, Pakistan has unleashed a full-blown disinformation offensive; a desperate attempt to shift the focus and control the narrative with a barrage of lies and digital theatrics. “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…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,” said an official.
Since April 22, when 26 tourists were gunned down at the hill destination of Pahalgam in South Kashmir, the FCU has been specifically calling out digital channels and social media accounts peddling fake news.
As India downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan following the terror attack, the Centre also blocked access to YouTube channels, X and Instagram handles of many prominent Pakistanis such as artists, sportspersons and top government functionaries including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Officials said that in a blatant effort to hijack the narrative and distract from the reality on the ground, Pakistan’s state-affiliated accounts have turned to their familiar playbook: recycling outdated images, misrepresenting old videos, and inventing completely fabricated claims.