Pakistan Accuses India of Orchestrating Disinformation Campaign Using Terrorist Figure
Islamabad – A renewed wave of disinformation targeting Pakistan has emerged, allegedly orchestrated by Indian state-linked media outlets in collaboration with known terrorist figures, according to official Pakistani sources and security analysts. This campaign, purportedly spearheaded by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), aims to tarnish Pakistan’s international standing following recent Indian setbacks on both military and diplomatic fronts. At the heart of the controversy lies The Sunday Guardian, an Indian newspaper widely perceived as a mouthpiece of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has published multiple articles attributed to Ehsanullah Ehsan, the former spokesperson for the banned terrorist organizations Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Ehsan is a key suspect in the horrific 2014 Army Public School (APS) massacre in Peshawar, a tragedy that claimed the lives of over 140 people, mostly schoolchildren.
The publication of content authored by a globally designated terrorist has sparked widespread condemnation from security experts and Pakistani officials. They argue that this act constitutes a blatant breach of journalistic ethics and sets a dangerous precedent by mainstreaming narratives linked to terrorism. "Granting author status in a mainstream Indian publication to a wanted terrorist exposes the extent of India’s desperation and the depths of its disinformation tactics," a senior Pakistani security official stated. Intelligence assessments indicate that Ehsanullah Ehsan is currently residing under the protection of the Afghan intelligence agency, the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), and is allegedly on the payroll of RAW. These claims bolster Pakistan’s contention that India utilizes proxies to wage hybrid warfare against its neighbour.
The Sunday Guardian, founded by former BJP minister M.J. Akbar, who resigned in 2018 amidst multiple #MeToo allegations, has a documented history of publishing anti-Pakistan content. Analysts contend that the platform is now being actively employed to "weaponize counterterrorism narratives" against Pakistan and to deflect attention from India’s own strategic failures in the region. This latest episode is not an isolated incident; India has previously faced accusations of orchestrating international disinformation campaigns. A 2020 report by the EU DisinfoLab exposed a sprawling, decade-long operation involving over 750 fake media outlets across 119 countries, all designed to discredit Pakistan and manipulate global opinion.
“The recent publication of terrorist-penned articles in Indian media represents a continuation of this established playbook,” observed a regional security analyst. “It underscores the lengths to which India is willing to go to distort narratives and destabilize Pakistan’s security and reputation.” The analyst further highlighted the inherent danger in providing a platform for a designated terrorist, warning that such actions pose serious risks not only to Pakistan’s security but also to regional stability and the integrity of global counterterrorism initiatives. The dissemination of these narratives could potentially embolden extremist groups and undermine efforts to combat terrorism.
Pakistan has vehemently denied any involvement in supporting terrorism and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards all forms and manifestations of terrorism. Officials assert that the state is actively combating a resurgence of terrorism allegedly sponsored by India and executed through Afghan-based networks. “Falsehoods, fabricated narratives, and propaganda will not succeed in misleading the international community,” a Foreign Office spokesperson declared. Pakistan has repeatedly called for a peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and has urged India to refrain from escalating tensions.
The ongoing disinformation campaign, according to Pakistan, is a deliberate attempt to divert international attention from the human rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan maintains its commitment to resolving the Kashmir issue peacefully, in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The international community is being urged to play a constructive role in facilitating a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir dispute and to hold India accountable for its alleged human rights violations. The utilization of known terrorists as mouthpieces by Indian media, Pakistan argues, serves only to further destabilize the region and undermine international counterterrorism efforts.
