Latest news with #HamidMir
India Today
02-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Not Saqlain Mushtaq, Pakistan's all-time greatest spinner is Hamid Mir
With 208 wickets in just 49 Tests at an average of 29.83, many would call Saqlain Mushtaq Pakistan's greatest spinner. Traditionalists with white-kit nostalgia might still vouch for the legendary leggie Abdul Qadir. But that's all for on-field action. Off it, long after these men stopped turning the cherry, senior journalist Hamid Mir, of late, emerged as Pakistan's biggest spinner. Not of cricket balls, but of theories and facts, twisting and turning them at Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has a history of bold assertions. However, his statements and views on India and its leadership, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since May have drawn scrutiny for their inflammatory and outlandish accusing India of "state-sponsored terrorism" to alleging an "Akhand Bharat plan to forcibly convert minorities", to claims about New Delhi's Operation Sindoor strikes and a "Zionism-Hindutva alliance", the journalist, author, and columnist left no theory untouched. From challenging the establishment to towing its kingpin, Field Marshal Asim Munir's lines, Mir's shift is remarkable and hard to all the bizarre theories Hamid Mir spun, mostly shared on his X handle, the most recent one seemed all over the alleged that India and Israel were planning a joint attack on Pakistan. In his June 30 piece in Geo News, he claimed that Modi and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu were determined to carry out the strike before October. Why? Because, according to Mir, Modi needs to win the comments section was flooded with bewildered Indians, with some even schooling SINDOOR'S CIVILIAN CASUALTIES?On May 7, when Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack, Mir alleged that India's military operation targeted civilians rather than terrorists, as India claimed."Indians have used stand-off weapons from their own territory and issued press releases that they attacked terrorists at nine points. In fact, Indians attacked civilians and civil casualties have occurred. Evidence of civilian casualties is available, Mir wrote on Pakistan's military reported 31 civilian deaths, India maintained the "precise" strikes targeted terror heavens of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba infrastructure, killing over 100 of fact-checkers and the Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked the Pakistani claims. No independent verification, since, has confirmed Mir's claims of civilian casualties in BHARAT RHETORIC BY HAMID MIRThen on June 2, Mir escalated his rhetoric, calling for a united front for South Asian countries at the UN to oppose India's "Akhand Bharat plan", accusing the BJP and the RSS of aiming to "convert Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs to Hinduism".He claimed to have laid out "undeniable facts". But what he actually presented were a series of familiar allegations against the BJP-RSS combine, that routinely surface in India's political discourse to make headlines every other day as assertion lacked evidence, as no official Indian policy endorses forced conversions or the "Akhand Bharat" concept, an idea which goes against India's policy of respecting sovereign neighbours, a stance PM Modi has repeatedly emphasised on by advocating "peaceful coexistence and regional cooperation".MODI'S G7 APPEARANCE EXPOSED MIR'S FAKE-NEWS INDUSTRYThe very next day, Mir claimed on X that India was excluded from the G7 summit in Canada due to "state-sponsored terrorism" by the Modi days later Modi received and accepted an invitation from Canadian PM Mark Carney. Modi attended the G7 summit as an outreach guest and India participated in the Energy Security session. He met several world leaders, directly contradicting Mir's is from the summit where Modi over phone refuted US President Donald Trump's ceasefire mediation calls, after Trump had to rush back home to take care of the escalating crisis in the Middle CLAIM OF SECRET INDIA-ISRAEL ATTACK PLANMir's most provocative loose talk came on June 30 in a Geo News piece titled, 'Why are Israel and India planning to attack Pakistan before October 2025?'He alleged a secret India-Israel alliance, driven by "Zionism and Hindutva", was plotting to attack Pakistan's nuclear facilities before October 2025 ahead of the election in an X post by Israeli professor Meir Masri and a Modern Diplomacy article by Canadian geopolitical analyst Julian Spencer-Churchill, Mir suggested Israel and India aimed to "denuclearise" Pakistan, using Indian bases for drone and missile claimed India's purchase of Israeli drones, like the Hermes 900, and the Adani-Elbit joint venture signalled this intent. However, Mir's and Spencer-Churchill's pieces seem speculative. They lack concrete evidence of such plans, and no credible intelligence report corroborates an imminent India-Israel attack on the article, Mir seemed to cobble a narrative from fragments, conjectures, the Indian Opposition's rhetoric, and baseless claims, something uncharacteristic curious embrace of his stature and a curious embrace of the establishment's the end, it's almost poetic. The man, who was once the establishment's loud critic, and narrowly survived two assassination attempts, now spins theories that would make the GHQ and its master, who said Hindus and Muslims are different, nod in approval. Hamid Mir's deliveries have turned into half-volleys. Mir has emerged as Pakistan's biggest spinner, but at the cost of his credibility.- EndsMust Watch advertisement
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India blocks X accounts of top Pakistani journalists
As India-Pakistan tensions grow, the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of popular Pakistani journalists Hamid Mir and Najam Sethi were blocked in India on Friday. #Operation Sindoor India-Pakistan Clash Live Updates| Missiles, shelling, and attacks — here's all that's happening Pakistani Air Force jet shot down in Pathankot by Indian Air Defence: Sources India on high alert: What's shut, who's on leave, and state-wise emergency measures This action follows X's announcement on Thursday that it will block around 8,000 accounts after receiving orders from the Indian government. The list includes global news outlets and famous users, not just Pakistani individuals. PIB issues warning to public At the same time, the Indian government's official fact-checking handle, PIB Fact Check , posted an alert on X. It asked people to be very careful about what they read and share on social media during these tense times. PIB warned that platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and X may soon be full of Pakistan-backed misinformation. 'It's important to check every piece of information carefully,' the post said. What should you do? The Press Information Bureau (PIB), which works under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, urged citizens to verify facts before forwarding any messages, especially those related to the Indian Armed Forces or the current situation with Pakistan . Live Events If you see anything suspicious, you can report it to PIB Fact Check. They've shared a WhatsApp number (+91 8799711259) and an email address for people to send screenshots or links of fake or misleading content. In times of tension, fake news can spread fear or confusion. That's why PIB is asking everyone to stay alert and help stop misinformation by reporting anything false or unclear.
News18
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
India Has Blocked X Accounts Of Pakistani Journalists Hamid Mir And Najam Aziz Sethi
India Has Blocked X Accounts Of Pakistani Journalists Hamid Mir And Najam Aziz Sethi | News18
News18
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
X Accounts of Leading Pakistan Journalists Blocked By India Amid Tensions
Last Updated: News18 X accounts of well-known Pakistani journalists Hamid Mir and Najam Sethi blocked by India. (This is a breaking copy. More details will be added.) First Published:
News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Fact-Checked And Exposed: Pakistan's Lies That Followed India's Operation Sindoor
Last Updated: Operation Sindoor was real. The Pakistani response, not so much In the wake of Operation Sindoor — India's precision military strike targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) — a parallel battle has unfolded in the digital arena. As the Indian Armed Forces neutralised key terror infrastructure, Pakistan-based handles and sympathetic social media ecosystems launched a coordinated disinformation campaign, flooding the internet with fake visuals, misleading narratives, and recycled content. To combat this surge in propaganda, Indian fact-checkers swiftly moved into action, debunking multiple viral claims aimed at undermining India's narrative and morale. Pakistani Leadership And Media Jump The Gun Even before social media propaganda kicked in, official Pakistani voices were already contributing to a swirl of disinformation. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed during a live address that Pakistan had taken three Indian soldiers prisoner in the night. However, he later retracted the statement, effectively fact-checking himself. He then followed up with a fresh allegation — that Indian soldiers were abandoning their posts — again without offering any proof. Mainstream Pakistani media outlets also joined the effort to mislead audiences. A striking example was exposed by fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, who flagged ARY News for broadcasting old and unrelated incidents as part of its post-Operation Sindoor coverage. These visuals — falsely presented as showing downed Indian jets or damaged infrastructure — were unconnected to current events and appeared to be sourced from unrelated past incidents. The intent: to create an illusion of successful Pakistani retaliation. Hamid Mir, one of Pakistan's most prominent journalists, made increasingly exaggerated claims on air, asserting that the Pakistan Air Force had downed multiple Indian jets. The number of jets allegedly shot down kept rising with each broadcast — eventually reaching six. No evidence was provided, and no independent or official source confirmed any such engagement or losses. Score is now six. One Indian Mig29 destroyed few moments ago. — Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) May 7, 2025 Other posts from verified accounts falsely claimed that Pakistan had launched missile strikes on 15 locations inside India. These claims were completely unsubstantiated — with no corroboration from Indian authorities, local media, or on-ground visuals to support them. Fact Check Verdict: Baseless and contradictory claims from senior Pakistani voices attempted to shape a false narrative of retaliation and Indian military losses — none of which have held up to scrutiny. Here's a breakdown of the major falsehoods and how they were exposed: 1. Fake Claims About Indian Fighter Jets Being Shot Down Soon after Operation Sindoor, images began circulating online purporting to show downed Indian aircraft allegedly hit by Pakistani defences. Some posts even carried fabricated IAF pilot IDs. However, PIB Fact Check revealed that the viral images were from an unrelated 2024 MiG-29 crash in Rajasthan. No Indian aircraft was lost during the operation, and the images had no connection to any military activity across the LoC. Fact Check Verdict: Misleading and old photos used out of context. 2. Viral Video Falsely Claiming Pakistan Attacked Srinagar Airbase One of the most widely shared fake news pieces was a video claiming that Pakistan had retaliated by attacking the Srinagar Airbase. The video showed explosions and gunfire, presented as 'live visuals" from the base. Upon scrutiny, PIB traced the footage to old 2024 sectarian clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It had nothing to do with the Indian Armed Forces or the Srinagar airbase. Fact Check Verdict: False. The video was from Pakistan, not India. In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Airforce has targeted Srinagar airbase #PIBFactCheck ❌ The video shared is old and NOT from India. ✅The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024, in… — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025 3. Fabricated Story of Indian Army Brigade HQ Being Destroyed In a more audacious fabrication, some Pakistani social media users shared posts claiming that Pakistan had destroyed an Indian Army brigade headquarters in Rajouri. No such incident occurred. PIB quickly flagged the content as fake, emphasising that no Indian military installation was attacked post-Sindoor. 4. Old Videos & Images Repurposed to Show Pakistani Retaliation Several old clips from conflicts in Gaza, Afghanistan, and even gaming simulations were recycled by Pakistani accounts to depict supposed Pakistani retaliation. Some videos even used altered audio tracks to simulate bombing runs or air-raid sirens. PIB, along with other independent fact-checking agencies, identified and exposed multiple such examples where either timestamps, metadata, or previous news reports revealed the true origins of the footage. Fact Check Verdict: Manipulated or unrelated media used to mislead audiences. 5. Misinformation from Verified & Semi-Official Accounts Not all disinformation post-Operation Sindoor came from anonymous trolls or fringe accounts. A more insidious wave emerged from blue-check verified handles — including retired military officers, political influencers, and commentators known to amplify pro-Pakistan narratives. One such handle, followed by thousands, shared an old video from Gaza, falsely claiming it showed Indian casualties from a supposed Pakistani counterstrike. Another prominent ex-bureaucrat tweeted that an Indian Air Force base had been 'seriously damaged," a claim that was quickly proven false but gained traction before being taken down. 6. False Claim of Aircraft Crash on School in Kashmir International influencer and podcaster Mario Nawfal, followed by millions on social media, tweeted that a fighter jet had crashed onto a school building in Kashmir during the events surrounding Operation Sindoor — suggesting a serious escalation or mishap by Indian forces. However, no such incident occurred, and there was no confirmation from Indian defence authorities, local administrations, or verified media outlets. The claim spread rapidly, especially among foreign accounts, before being widely debunked. 🚨🇮🇳 🇵🇰AIRCRAFT CRASHES ON SCHOOL IN INDIAN KASHMIR | MILITARY SEALS OFF CRASH SITEAn unidentified aircraft has crashed onto a school building in Wuyan village in the Pampore area on the outskirts of Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The incident occurred… — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 7, 2025 Fact-checkers noted that no images or videos accompanied the claim, and no local eyewitness reports or credible journalists in Kashmir corroborated it. It was assessed to be speculative, possibly derived from confusion or disinformation seeded by Pakistani social media networks. Fact Check Verdict: No such crash took place. The claim was unverified, alarmist, and inconsistent with on-ground reports. 7. False Claim of Indian Rafale Jet Shot Down by Pakistan A separate video, widely shared by Pakistani handles, claimed that Pakistan had shot down an Indian Rafale fighter jet in retaliation for Operation Sindoor. The dramatic footage, showing an aircraft spiralling with smoke before crashing, was presented as breaking news. The PIB's Fact Check team officially debunked the video, stating it was completely fake and unrelated to any recent incident. There were no losses of Rafale jets in the operation, and no evidence supported the claim. Fact Check Verdict: Fake video, falsely linked to a Rafale, used to manufacture a false narrative of successful retaliation. That's a video of Pakistani training aircraft which crashed in April. Not Indian Rafale. — Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 7, 2025 A Battle Beyond The Border: The Propaganda War The misinformation blitz following Operation Sindoor signals a deliberate attempt to control the narrative amid diplomatic embarrassment in Islamabad. By manufacturing a fictitious counter-offensive, Pakistan appears to be trying to manage domestic perception while simultaneously misleading the global community. However, India's rapid countermeasures — both military and informational — have worked to blunt this campaign. top videos View all Reinforced Advisory From Indian Authorities Citizens are urged to rely solely on official government sources for updates — including @PIBFactCheck, @adgpi, and @DefenceMinIndia. 'In an age of rapid information," the advisory notes, 'unverified claims can cause panic, jeopardise national security, and aid adversarial propaganda." Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : fake news Indian Army Operation Sindoor pakistani media on india Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 07, 2025, 15:08 IST News india Fact-Checked And Exposed: Pakistan's Lies That Followed India's Operation Sindoor
