Latest news with #Pakistani-based
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Purpose of visit to convey seriousness of terrorism to French interlocutors": Former Dy NSA Pankaj Saran
Paris [France], May 26 (ANI): Former Deputy National Security Advisor Pankaj Saran, who is part of the all-party delegation to inform nations about Pakistan's links to terrorism, said the visit is aimed to convey to the French interlocutors that 'state sponsorship of terrorism' is dangerous and affects all countries. In an interview with ANI, Saran called it imperative that nations like India and France 'cooperate with each other,' as the India-France relationship rests on some very 'solid fundamentals,' including intelligence sharing to security cooperation, to the fight against terrorism. 'I think the purpose of our visit is to convey to the French interlocutors the seriousness of the problem of terrorism, international terrorism, state sponsorship of terrorism and to remind them that this problem is live, it is dangerous and it affects all countries and it is therefore imperative that countries like India and France, which are multicultural democratic common values have to cooperate with each other and the good thing is that the India-France relationship rests on some very solid fundamentals, including not just culture or trade or economic, but some of the most important dimensions of the relationship relate to intelligence sharing, to security cooperation, to the fight against terrorism, against radicalization, extremism, etc. So, there is a very solid foundation,' he said He spoke on how India has suffered due to terrorism for long and mentioned the new normal in India, 'that terrorism and its sponsors will have to pay a price.' 'The fact is that India has suffered for too long and the cycle of terrorism is something which is very difficult to live with for India and to accept the fact that this is in fact India's fate that every few years we will absorb a terrorist incident. We will absorb loss of innocent lives and that we have to live with this reality. This is not the normal. The attacks and then the counter response by India, specially the counter response, the basic message of the counter response is that there is a new normal now in India that terrorism and its sponsors will have to pay a price. And if you look at the record of the way India has been a victim, and if you look at the record of how all of this has been documented even in the Security Council Resolutions 1267, particularly, it is extraordinary. It is not India saying all of this. It's the world body, the Security Council, which has recognised there are names and names and details of Pakistani-based leaders, groups. There's a whole literature out there, so the fact that Pakistan has become and is and remains the source of this terrorism is something which is not what India alone is saying. So these are some of the messages which we will bring across,' he added. He said that Indian delegation will meet parliamentarians, members of the French media, representatives of think tanks and the government and emphasise India's position. He said that members of the delegation will also meet even those who have doubt regarding India's stance and mentioned that they are looking forward to a 'very frank, forthright and productive exchange.' On purpose of the meetings in France, Pankaj Saran said, 'I think the purpose of this visit is to reach and talk to a wide cross section that includes parliamentarians, members of the Senate, members of the French media, representatives of think tanks, and of course the government. So, we will meet a lot of people cutting across, even those who have some doubts about the Indian position, about they have questions to ask. We are going to be here to answer those questions, to talk to them.' 'So, we're looking forward to a very frank, forthright and productive exchange so that when we leave, there will be a better understanding of how India thinks and what happened and what is the logic and what was the objective of Operation Sindoor and what are the problems we face because at the end of the day with India as an economy as it is. It is today much more than the past become globally significant. So, it is no longer a matter of something which is relegated to the Indian subcontinent. What happens in India affects the world. So, there is global interest in all of this. So these are some of the dimensions we talk about,' he added. Saran emphasised that the French support is 'critical'for India. He lauded the ties between India and France, which are 'based on a very high degree of trust,' adding that there is a 'very high degree of unanimity on the threats we face.' 'I think the French support is critical. I mean, if you look at the record of the relationship. It stands out as one of the few relationships which actually has had no real problems. On the contrary, it is based on a very high degree of trust because if you don't have trust, you cannot cooperate on intelligence and security and military matters, which we do. So, there is a very high degree of unanimity on the threats we face,' Saran said. 'And on the responses and on the policy options that we have, not just vis a vis the Indo-Pacific region, but including and particularly with regard to, as I told you, radicalization, counter-terrorism, extremism, and what are the threats that multicultural, multi-ethnic, open, democratic societies face and how these deviant forces try to exploit. In our case, of course, unlike the French case, we have a situation where the whole state machinery of a neighbouring country. is geared to create problems and to promote terrorism in India. So, we have a special problem. We are dealing with it. We have the capacity to deal with it on our own. We have shown it, and we will continue to deal with it. We will increase our capacities, but we also want to sensitise and seek support from our friends,' he added. The former diplomat Saran is part of the delegation, led by Ravi Shankar Prasad, which also includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari, M J Akbar, Ghulam Ali Khatana and Samik Bhattacharya; Congress MP Amar Singh, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi. The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in France, UK, Germany, EU, Italy and Denmark. Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed brutally. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), leading to the elimination of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Grenade attack: NIA recreates crime scene at BJP leader's house in Jalandhar
A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the recent grenade attack on BJP leader Manoharjan Kalia's house in Jalandhar, arrived in the city and recreated the crime scene. Kalia and his close associates confirmed the development. NIA teams, along with staff from the Division Number 3 police station, arrived outside Kalia's house with the accused, who had hurled a grenade. Kalia said, 'I was out in the city when the NIA teams arrived. Upon returning home, I learnt about their visit. They had brought the accused too.' Kalia's close associate Rajeev Walia said, 'Some NIA officers, in a vehicle with a Delhi number plate, arrived at the crime scene on Monday, along with them the accused who had thrown the grenade at the house. They asked him how the grenade was thrown. The team didn't enter the house.' The NIA team was accompanied by Jalandhar city police personnel. The NIA team remained at the crime scene for only 3 to 5 minutes. After their investigation, the officers immediately left the scene. The grenade attack on the BJP leader's house on April 7, shattered windowpanes and damaged a vehicle, but there were no reports of any injuries. Later, Happy Passian, a commander of the Khalistani terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International and an ISI associate, reportedly claimed the responsibility of the attack. Later, the Punjab Police claimed to have arrested main accused Saidul Amin, a resident of Amroha in Uttar Pradesh. His alleged local aides — Satish, alias Kaka, alias Lucky, a resident of Bhargo Camp, Jalandhar, and Harry, a resident of Garha Road, Jalandhar — who reportedly provided logistical support to the main accused had already been arrested. A case was registered at the Division No. 3 police station in Jalandhar. 'Now, the NIA has intensified its investigation into the matter and is trying to uncover the terrorists' network, the agency is also looking into how such conspiracies are being orchestrated between Pakistani-based ISI and Khalistani terrorists, and how local youths are being trapped in these schemes,' said a Jalandhar police officer.
Irish Examiner
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Why are India and Pakistan on the brink of war and how dangerous is the situation? An expert explains
India has launched military strikes against a number of sites in Pakistan and Pakistan's side of the disputed region of Kashmir, reportedly killing at least 31 people and injuring dozens more. India claimed the attacks were on terrorist infrastructure, but Pakistan denied this, and said these were civilians. India says another 10 people on the Indian side of the Kashmir region have been killed by shelling from Pakistan in the same period. The exchange comes two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir killed 26 people. The group Resistance Front (TRF), which India argues is a proxy for the Pakistani-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. India claimed that Pakistan had indirectly supported the terrorist attack, but Pakistan vehemently denies this. The escalating conflict between two of the world's major military powers has the potential to de-stablise Asia and beyond. Already, many countries around the world, including the UK, France and Russia, have made public their concerns about what happens next. How do India and Pakistan's militaries compare? India is ranked as one of the world's top five military nations by Military Watch magazine and Pakistan is ranked ninth. Both countries have nuclear weapons. Overall, India is considered to have the military edge with a bigger and more modern military force, while Pakistan has a smaller and more agile force that has been primarily focused on defensive and covert activities. While neither country has used nuclear weapons in a conflict, there are always concerns that this norm may be broken. Both countries are nuclear powers with India holding 180 nuclear warheads, and Pakistan possessing about 170. Though India has a 'no first use' policy, which it claims means the country would never use nuclear weapons first, there have been signs it is reconsidering this policy since 2019. Pakistan has never declared a no first use policy and argues that tactical nuclear weapons are important to countering India's larger conventional forces. The concern is that even if a small nuclear exchange were to take place between the two countries, it could kill up to 20 million people in a matter of days. Why are the countries fighting over Kashmir? Kashmir has been a source of tension and conflict even before India and Pakistan gained independence from the British empire in 1947. Originally the Muslim-majority Kashmir was free to accede to either India or Pakistan. While the local ruler (maharaja), Hari Singh, originally wanted Kashmir to be independent, he eventually sided with India, leading to a conflict in 1947. This resulted in a UN-mediated ceasefire in 1949 and agreement that Kashmir would be controlled partly by Pakistan and partly by India, split along what's known as the Line of Surveillance (or Line of Control). As Kashmir is rich in minerals such as borax, sapphire, graphite, marble, gypsum and lithium, the region is strategically important. It is also culturally and historically important to both Pakistan and India. Due to the region's significance and disagreement over sovereignty, multiple conflicts have taken place over Kashmir, with wars erupting in 1965 and 1999. Tensions were renewed in 2016, after 19 Indian soldiers were killed in Uri, on the Indian side of Kashmir. India responded by launching 'surgical strikes' across the Line of Control, targeting alleged militant bases. Then in 2019, a bombing in Pulwama (again part of the Indian-administered Kashmir) that killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary personnel led to Indian airstrikes in Balakot which borders Kashmir. This was the first action inside Pakistan since the Indian-Pakistani conflict in 1971 and again led to retaliatory raids from Pakistan and a brief aerial conflict. A Kashmiri villager examines the damage caused to his house by Indian shelling in Neelum Valley, a district of Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Saturday. Photo: AP/M.D. Mughal These past conflicts never intensified further in part because India applied a massive diplomatic pressure campaign on the US, the UK and Pakistan, warning against escalation, while Pakistan showed a willingness to back down. Both sides as nuclear powers (India gained nuclear weapons in 1974 and Pakistan in 1998) had an understanding that escalating to full-scale war would be incredibly risky. What will happen next? The question is whether or not cooler heads will prevail this time. The strikes by India, part of Operation Sindoor, were met with mass approval across many political lines in India, with both the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party voicing their support for the operation. This helps Modi gain more backing, at a time when his popularity has been falling. Modi and the BJP suffered a shocking result in the 2024 election, losing 63 seats out of 543 seats and falling short of a majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament). Under Modi, India has been rapidly becoming more autocratic, another source of concern as such countries are more likely to take risks when it comes to conflict. As power becomes increasingly personalised and dissent is repressed, would-be autocrats may be more likely to take on bold moves to garner more public and elite support. An Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard on the banks of Dal Lake after loud explosions were heard in Srinagar on Saturday. Photo: AP/Mukhtar Khan Pakistan may also have reason to respond with more force to India's recent attack than in the past. Pakistan's powerful military has often stoked fears of a conflict with India to justify its enormous military budget. Regardless of the outcome, it needs a success to sell to its domestic audience. Pakistan has been de facto led by its military for decades, which also makes it more likely to engage in conflict. In spite of intervals of civilian rule, the military has always held a lot of power, and in contrast to India (where there is a wider role for a civilian minister of defence), the Pakistani military has more influence over nuclear and security policy. Both military regimes and multi-party autocracies may see conflict as a way of gaining legitimacy, particularly if both regimes think their political support is unravelling. This most recent escalation is also significant because it is the first time in the Kashmir conflict that India has struck at Punjab, considered the heart of Pakistan. Pakistan will face internal pressure to respond, settle the score and restore deterrence. Both sides have been resolute in not losing an inch of territory. The question is how quickly diplomatic pressure can work. Neither India nor Pakistan are engaged in security dialogue, and there is no bilateral crisis management mechanisms in place. Further complicating matters is that the US's role as a crisis manager in south Asia has diminished. Under Donald Trump, Washington cannot be counted on. This all makes deescalating this conflict much more difficult. Natasha Lindstaedt is a Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex. (c) The Conversation Read More Calm reported along Indian and Pakistani border after days of fighting
India Gazette
11-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India and Pakistan agree to ceasefire after military standoff: What we know so far
New Delhi and Islamabad have announced a truce and will have further discussions on May 12 to formalize the agreement Following the recent escalation between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear-armed nations announced a ceasefire on Saturday. Both sides have issued directives to enforce the truce, and the director-generals of the two countries are expected to hold further talks on May 12, according to New Delhi. India continues to maintain a heightened state of alert and operational readiness as ceasefire violations and cross-border tensions persist, the military said. The ceasefire came into effect at 5:00pm local time. Just three hours later, however, explosions were heard in Srinagar, Kashmir and other parts of India. "Over the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today," India's foreign secretary stated at a late night briefing. "We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility." Minutes later, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation, thanking the military for what he called a "historic success" in their operation against India. As a "responsible nation," Pakistan has given a positive response to the ceasefire proposal, he said. Islamabad will pursue "the path of negotiations" to ease tensions with New Delhi, Sharif added, without mentioning the ceasefire violations reported by the Indian side. Shortly before New Delhi and Islamabad announced the truce, US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account that the two nations had agreed to immediately cease hostilities "after a long night of talks mediated by the United States." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two nations were ready to "start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site." While New Delhi has not officially confirmed the US role in mediating the ceasefire, the Pakistani prime minister thanked Trump, among others, including the leaders of China, Saudi Arabia, and Trkiye, for their role in achieving the ceasefire. Military escalation The escalation between the two neighbors began on May 7, when India launched Operation Sindoor against non-military and non-civilian targets in Pakistan. New Delhi said it was targeting terrorist bases in the country in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in India's Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory in late April that killed 26 tourists. The Resistance Front, believed to be linked to the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but later denied it. Islamabad denied having any involvement. Indian investigators, however, claim to have identified the attackers' planners and communication hubs connected to Pakistan. New Delhi said on May 7 that it struck nine suspected terrorist-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. "Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature," the Indian government stated, adding that it has shown "considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution." During the first phase of the operation, India claimed that it struck nine locations in Pakistan. Islamabad, however, claimed that 31 civilians were killed in the initial strike and called the operation an act of "unprovoked aggression," vowing to respond accordingly. Hours later, it launched attacks on various locations in Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi said resulted in at least 16 fatalities and dozens of injuries. India stated that on the night of May 8-9, Pakistan launched around 300 drone attacks across 36 locations in India. The targets included cities, military establishments, and religious places, indicating a deliberate attempt by the Pakistan Army to strike a wide range of locations. The drones used in the attacks were reportedly Turkish-made, officials added. India reportedly used the Russian-made S-400 mobile surface-to-air system to repel the attacks, according to government sources familiar with the situation. "S-400 was a part of the layered air defense of India," the sources said. "They were used to track aerial threats." India responded by targeting air defense radars and systems in various locations in Pakistan, according to the Indian Defense Ministry. The Indian attacks caused damage and wounded soldiers, Pakistani officials were cited as saying by AP. On May 9, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan Al Marsoos (unbreakable wall), in what it said was retaliation for Indian strikes on its territory and the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir region, which has been claimed by both nations since 1947, when they gained independence from Britain. Islamabad said the operation aims to "protect Pakistan's sovereignty, security, and oppressed citizens," calling it a "befitting" response to Indian "aggression." The government claimed to have "successfully targeted key Indian military installations," destroyed a brigade headquarters at G Top, and hit a missile storage site in northern India. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan had no choice but to retaliate to the Indian attacks, but later signaled willingness to deescalate if India halts further strikes. India responded with "retaliatory" precision airstrikes on Pakistani air bases and radar sites. The military released time-stamped images of intact air bases and confirmed only limited damage to personnel and infrastructure at Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda. Indian officials denied Islamabad's claims of critical infrastructure damage, calling them "lies, misinformation, and propaganda." The military released time-stamped images of intact air bases and confirmed only limited damage to personnel and infrastructure at Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda. India also denied claims that its S-400 systems and BrahMos base were hit. India also denied claims that its S-400 systems and BrahMos base were hit. The Indian Army later stated that it destroyed several terrorist launchpads near the Line of Control in response to the Pakistani strikes, calling them "hubs for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces." Diplomatic standoff Following the April 2 Pahalgam attack, the two countries took sweeping measures to further downgrade diplomatic and trade ties. India-Pakistan relations have been strained for decades over Kashmir. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have fought four wars and have had repeated border skirmishes. Relations have been nearly frozen since 2019, after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government abrogated Article 370 of the constitution, which granted a certain level of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. Reacting to the April 22 massacre, New Delhi reduced the staff at the Pakistani High Commission, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and closed its land border. It also suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals and advised Indian citizens in Pakistan to promptly return home. Also, for the first time in six decades, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, which allows the two countries to share the waters of the Indus River system. New Delhi said the measures would remain in effect "until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism." Islamabad has denied it had any involvement in the Kashmir attack. It issued a reciprocal response to India's measures on Thursday, suspending key bilateral agreements and cross-border routes, closing its airspace to all Indian-owned or operated airlines. India later responded with the same measures. Islamabad was especially outraged over India's unilateral suspension of the water treaty, warning that if India follows through on its threat to block the rivers, it would take this as " an act of war." Neither Islamabad nor New Delhi has issued an official statement on the status of the agreement following the announcement of the ceasefire. Sources in the Indian government on Saturday noted that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty remains intact. India will not share any hydrological information with Pakistan and will proceed with water infrastructure projects on the three northern rivers, the sources added.
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
WHEN INDIAN MEDIA CHOSE BLOODLUST OVER TRUTH
The propaganda warfare. The methodical dispensation of misinformation. The shrillest jingoism. The primitive bloodlust. The hatred of the other disguised in chants of patriotism. Destruction of the enemy hailed as revenge. Internal failures camouflaged in external blame game. Lust for TV TRPs and social media likes trumping responsibility to the traumatised audiences. Melodramatic slogans outlined in blood red trampling over veritable journalism. Vicious monologues drowning sensible discourse. Terrifying hashtags blinking on bright screens. That, tersely, was the Indian electronic and online media, barring a few channels and vlogs, on May 8, 2025. On April 22, 2025, twenty-six people were killed in a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Al-Jazeera reported: 'A statement issued in the name of The Resistance Front (TRF), which is believed to be an offshoot of the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.' The group, reportedly, later retracted the statement. The Indian government, without waiting for any due investigation, blamed Pakistan for the attack. India's Prime Minister Narender Modi tweeted: 'I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice … they will not be spared!' Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after condemning the horrific terror attack that targeted Hindu men, stated: 'The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation. The Indian National Congress Kerala tweeted on April 25, 2025: 'Pahalgam is nearly 200km from Line of Control. It is not a border village so that someone could sneak in, do their thing, and go back. How did four terrorists carrying big guns come in 200 km inside, shot nearly 50 people and go back unscathed? If terrorists can walk in and shoot and go back without the risk of being captured or killed, how safe are our cities?' Second time Chief Minister of the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah tweeted on April 27, 2025: 'After the Pahalgam terror attack, there must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origin. People of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism and the murder of innocent people, they did this freely and spontaneously. It's time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people. Punish the guilty, show them no mercy but don't let innocent people become collateral damage.' On July 29, 2017, India Today reported: 'Speaking at a Kashmir conclave in New Delhi, the opposition National Conference leader [Omar Abdullah] said he was aware that it was popular to blame Pakistan for everything that is happening in the troubled state. 'We know that Pakistan fishes in troubled waters, but we also know that they are not the creators of the sort of agitation that we have seen in 2008, 2010 and 2016,' Abdullah said.' Farooq Abdullah, head of the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and former chief minister, said on May 1, 2025: there is no doubt that this was a matter of security and intelligence lapses…they [Pakistan] wouldn't have liked the idea that we were leading our lives very well…propaganda was spread among our people as well…so they [Pakistan] resorted to this [Pahalgam attack].' A dizzying series of events unfolded in the last few weeks. Adam Pal of the Inqilabi Communist Party of the Pakistani section of the RCI, wrote on May 7: 'Another war has begun between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, in which both have claimed victory so far. In the early hours of 7 May, the Indian Air Force carried out nine attacks inside Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. In retaliation, Pakistan claims to have downed five Indian jets, which India has so far denied. India has claimed that the places targeted inside Pakistan were camps operated by terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad, which have been responsible for several terrorist attacks in India. Pakistan has declared that 26 lives were lost and 46 were injured in these attacks, which struck different cities of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, including Muridke near Lahore. Those killed include several family members and associates of Masood Azhar, who is on the UN's list of terrorists. Pakistan has claimed that five Indian jet planes involved in the attack were shot down, including three Rafale planes, one MiG-29 and one Su-30. Pakistan has also vowed to respond to these attacks with full force in the coming period. During these aerial attacks, heavy shelling was reported along the Line of Control, which is the de facto border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir. Both sides have claimed that they inflicted heavy losses on the other side.' In this terrifying scenario, Pakistan media, mostly in Urdu, has proclaimed Pakistan's moral and material victory on India. And while much needs to be said about the level of credibility of Pakistan's media, it all pales in comparison to what has unfurled in a matter of few hours in India. After banning almost every major Pakistani news and entertainment channel in India, blocking social media accounts of Pakistani artists, sportspersons, and journalists, and blocking X accounts of anyone with considerable following in India, the Indian government's unofficial mouthpieces jumped in glee and unleashed a storm of misinformation and propaganda, the kind of which is rarely seen in the highly polarised world of news and information in the world of 2025. A quick aside: my X account is withheld in India 'in response to a legal demand.' It happened on May 7, 2025, after my series of tweets raising questions about the credibility of India's rationale of attacking Pakistan's cities and killing of civilians, including children and women. The Independent, UK, on May 9, stated in its report titled 'Misinformation floods Indian and Pakistani social media in absence of official updates: 'Mislabelled videos, recycled images and fake public advisories are taking over the information landscape, leaving hundreds of millions of anxious observers in a lurch over what to believe… Key pieces of misinformation include fake photos and videos circulated as footage from the airstrikes and unverified claims and counterclaims from the governments of the nuclear-armed neighbours… Several news channels and journalists have fallen for fake videos and claims, amplifying unconfirmed information at a time when cross-border attacks and shelling, mock drills, and sirens blasted from loudspeakers are causing mass panic.' Most of that misinformation was courtesy the Indian media, known in Indian liberal and left circles as the 'Godi media'. Beyond the horror and dehumanisation, it was endless. It was deafening. It was incoherent. It was ludicrous. And on a superficial level, it was hilarious. The Hindi channels and right-wing commentators led the macabre circus. TV 9 announced that in 'the area of Quetta, the Baloch had attacked [the state of Pakistan]. Indian Army News posted, in caps: 'INDIAN ARMY 60 KM IN PAKISTAN' NDTV Hind aired the footage of Israel's Iron Dome system as Indian defence system. Major (Retd) Gaurav Arya, a self-claimed proud Pakistan-hater, announced with his arms held high in the air, implored the Indian Navy to 'do their part. The [Indian] Army has infiltrated Pakistan. INS Vikrant is there. Shoot 15-20 missiles and set fire to the Karachi Port. Set Karachi on fire. Burn down the entire city.' Arya also added: 'Today is a qayyamat ki raat (doomsday night), Pakistanio, don't sleep. Death is doing a naked dance on your heads.' Barkha Dutt, not a Hindi channel host, tweeted to her 6.9 million followers: 'BREAKING @themojostory- our Navy has targeted the Karachi Port — as part of the massive ongoing retaliation in response to Pakistan missiles and drones targeted at multiple locations in India including Jammu airport, more details awaited.' Barkha also tweeted: 'Breaking @themojostory - a Pakistani pilot is in Indian custody — more details awaited / this as india thwarts multiple missile and drone attacks by Pakistan on Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, srinagar, RS Pura, Jaisalmer — all attempts foiled.' Encapsulating the methodical madness, Wajahat S Khan, Pakistan's New York based journalist and South Asia security and politics analyst, posted on X: 'Indian media claims in the last 72 hours about #IndiaPakistanTensions - 'Only terrorists' killed by Indian strikes - 100 'terrorists' killed - Gen Asim Munir removed - Karachi Port destroyed - Islamabad attacked - PAF pilot taken prisoner - Two PAF JF17 Thunder aircraft shot down - One PAF F16 shot down - No Indian planes shot down - Baloch insurgents in action (this one I'm gonna take seriously) - Coup in Pak military - Amritsar attacked (via missiles) - Amritsar attacked (via drones) - Jammu attacked (via missiles) - Jammu attacked (via drones) These lies or semi-lies were peddled in no particular order by much of the 'Godi' media like Times Now, Republic, Zee, India Today, and — disappointing to note — even @BDUTTof @themojostory.' What Pakistan is witnessing on May 9 is not just a sombre atmosphere of what-next, there is also a lighter side to the entire warlike situation between Pakistan and India. No, war is not a trivial matter. War destroys and leaves indelible scars. War kills and maims children and women and old people and the helpless and the innocent. War is not justice. War is blind vengeance. War is never the answer. But when those who are supposed to raise questions about the futility of war become the biggest cheerleaders of vendetta and destruction and mayhem, when those who armed with their microphones and cameras fail to ask their rulers the uncomfortable but pertinent questions, and when those whose reach is immense and influence unquantifiable refuse to demand any governmental and national introspection, while lazily, angrily, and hatefully scapegoating the neighbouring country they do not wish to see their country peacefully coexist with, truth sinks into oblivion, decency fades into smirks of schadenfreude, journalistic ethics diminish into hoots of nationalism, deadly misinformation and war propaganda become essential PSYOPs, hubris replaces empathy, and grim news convolute into sensational soap operas. The May 8 reporting on Indian media, electronic and social, was all of that and more.
