Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, malicious elements from across the border have ramped up misinformation efforts aimed at spreading panic and distorting the ground reality.
After India retaliated in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, several Pakistani social media handles began disseminating fake narratives to mislead the public and tarnish the Indian response. However, the Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) moved swiftly, debunking at least seven such instances of misinformation between late Wednesday night and early Thursday.
In an official press briefing, the PIB Fact Check Unit presented a comprehensive list of the fake claims and systematically clarified each one:
- A video falsely portraying a drone attack in Jalandhar was debunked. The footage was from a farm fire and had no relation to any military incident. The video’s timestamp also predated the actual drone activity. This was confirmed by the District Collector of Jalandhar.
- A staged video claimed a Pakistani army attack destroyed an Indian post, citing the involvement of a “20 Raj Battalion.” The PIB confirmed no such unit exists in the Indian Army, dismissing the video as fabricated propaganda.
- Another viral video misrepresented as a Pakistani missile attack on India was identified as old footage from the 2020 Beirut explosion, completely unrelated to current events.
- False claims of a fidayeen attack on an Army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, were also debunked. The PIB confirmed no such incident occurred and flagged the claim as an attempt to mislead the public.
- A fake confidential letter purportedly from the Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS), General VK Narayan, regarding military readiness was exposed. PIB clarified that no such person holds that position, and the letter was completely fabricated.
- A claim suggesting the Indian military attacked Amritsar using Ambala Airbase was proven baseless by the fact-check team.
- Lastly, rumours of a nationwide ban on airport entry were refuted. The PIB confirmed no such order had been issued by the Union Government.
🛑 Fake News Alert
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025
Social media posts are claiming that entry to airports across India banned#PIBFactCheck:
❌ This claim is #FAKE
✅ Government has taken no such decision pic.twitter.com/MoaUcQqO2d
The timely intervention of the PIB Fact Check Unit has been pivotal in countering fake news and safeguarding public confidence during a critical period of national security. Their proactive response highlights the importance of accurate information flow during conflict, especially when hostile entities attempt to manipulate public perception.