Old images, false claims: Minutes after Indian airstrikes, Pak spins fake narratives

After India launched airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) on Wednesday, Pakistan is once again spreading fake news. Several Pakistani media outlets, including state-run PTV, have begun circulating unverified claims — such as the alleged downing of two Indian jets — despite no official confirmation.

Social media are also rife with fake images and videos falsely labelled as evidence of Indian aircraft being shot down.

One widely shared photo, purportedly showing a destroyed Indian jet, has already been debunked as unrelated and outdated. The Pakistani media is using an image of a MiG-29 fighter jet that crashed in Rajasthan’s Barmer district in September 2024. It also claimed a retaliatory missile strike on an Indian brigade.

Meanwhile, in a social media post, DG ISPR falsely claimed that all planes of Pakistan Air Force are airborne. All strikes were made by India from its own airspace.

Pak media outlet, Dunya News TV, claimed, “Pakistan armed forces gave befitting response to the Indian strikes and shot down two fighter jets of the enemy of peace.”

ARY News in Pakistan also circulated outdated images, falsely presenting them as recent visuals of Indian aircraft being shot down.

All the claims made by the Pakistani media outlets are unrelated to the current strike. Indian officials are yet to issue any official confirmation on the matter.

The airstrike from India comes as a strong response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The military operation focused on terror infrastructure across nine locations which are linked to the planning and execution of cross-border attacks against India.

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