How Social Media Shaped the Recent Pakistan-India Conflict

Fueled by online disinformation, India's claims of military success were swiftly debunked as false.

Tue Jul 22 2025
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Wisal Khan & Safina Nabi

PESHAWAR/SRINAGAR: Between May 7 and May 11, a familiar tension surged along the Pakistan-India border. Once again, the nuclear-armed rivals found themselves on the brink of war—trading artillery fire, aerial threats, and strategic strikes.

But this time, the fiercest battlefield was not just the Line of Control (LoC)—it was online as well.

As war rhetoric intensified, so did a torrent of misinformation. X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp buzzed with dramatic claims, doctored visuals, and hashtag wars. For millions of citizens in both countries, discerning truth from fiction became a psychological minefield.

“In any war, the first casualty is the truth,” remarks Tariq Afghan, a lawyer based in Peshawar. His words echo a growing concern among experts and citizens alike—that misinformation is no longer collateral damage; it is a deliberate weapon of modern conflict.

Digital warfare takes over

The actual military exchanges, though brief, were intense. Pakistan reported shooting down several Indian drones and an Indian Rafale jet.

India, in turn, claimed to have struck critical Pakistani military assets and declared operational success. Yet, the public understanding of these events was largely shaped not by official statements, but by unverified viral content.

This time, it mostly inflamed. Our team tracked hundreds of posts sharing exaggerated headlines, recycled war footage, and outright fabrications—all passed off as real-time updates.” – Hassan Nisar, Chief Executive Officer of Metrix Pakistan

Subsequent investigations and satellite imagery later corroborated Pakistan’s version of events, while India’s claims were widely debunked by independent analysts and fact-checkers.

“Social media can either inform or inflame,” says Hassan Nisar, Chief Executive Officer of Metrix Pakistan, a leading digital media analysis firm.

“This time, it mostly inflamed. Our team tracked hundreds of posts sharing exaggerated headlines, recycled war footage, and outright fabrications—all passed off as real-time updates.”

Metrix Pakistan collaborated with provincial governments, police departments, and universities to boost digital verification efforts.

“We helped them get their official social media accounts verified, so people had reliable sources to turn to. Combating fake news isn’t just technical; it’s about building trust,” he emphasises.

Memes, myths & manipulation

The digital battlefield was not limited to strategic misinformation. It was also filled with memes, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content, and even humour—often serving as both a coping mechanism and a tool of nationalistic narrative-building.

“Memers led the charge,” notes veteran Karachi-based journalist Lubna Jarar. “Pakistanis responded with creativity from satirical memes mocking Indian media and videos parodying fake air raids.”

Jarar, who has covered Indo-Pak relations for over two decades, observes a striking tonal difference this time.

“Despite the rising tensions, Pakistani media, both traditional and social, avoided hate speech. It was calculated restraint. In contrast, some Indian outlets amplified false claims, later debunked by their own fact-checkers.”

Indian television channels circulated misleading footage, with several airing clips from the Israeli attacks on Gaza and others using visuals of destruction in Lebanon, falsely presenting them as evidence of Indian strikes on Pakistani cities.

Some even broadcast dramatic claims, including reports of a coup in Pakistan, alleged attacks on Islamabad, and the Indian naval ship Vikrant destroying the Karachi port.

These unverified stories were often delivered with theatrical studio celebrations under the banner of ‘Big Breaking News’, despite lacking any factual basis.

Pakistanis responded with creativity from satirical memes mocking Indian media and videos parodying fake air raids.” – Lubna Jarar, journalist

Jarar goes on to add that while cross-border cultural affinity from Bollywood films to music has long influenced Pakistani audiences, it did not dilute their patriotic fervour. “If anything, it made their response more nuanced and self-aware.”

Caught in the crossfire

The conflict’s emotional and psychological toll was perhaps most deeply felt in Kashmir. For many Kashmiris, the aftermath of every cross-border incident reignites old fears—not just of violence, but of social alienation and scapegoating.

“Whenever my friend steps outside, she wears a helmet,” remarks Tehmeena Bhat (name changed to protect her identity), a 20-year-old Kashmiri student studying in India’s capital, New Delhi.

“I stopped leaving my hostel room altogether. Even here, I was not safe—I became the target of verbal abuse by my own roommate.”

Her voice, trembling over a phone interview, reveals the isolation many Kashmiris feel during such escalations.

The trigger for this wave of hostility was a tragic event that occurred weeks earlier. On April 22, a deadly attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, claimed the lives of 26 tourists and injured many more. Though the perpetrators were not immediately identified, online fury quickly found a target.

Targeted by hashtags

Within hours, Indian social media channels—bolstered by politically affiliated Information Technology cells and nationalistic influencers—launched coordinated campaigns.

Hashtags like #BoycottKashmir and #BoycottKashmirTourism trended rapidly, unleashing a digital witch-hunt.

“This wasn’t spontaneous,” explains Tariq Afghan. “It was calculated—with synchronised messaging across televisions, Twitter, and WhatsApp, creating a loop that validated itself.”

One particular media clip went viral: a prominent Indian journalist, with nearly half a million Instagram followers, stood in Pahalgam asking locals if India should adopt an “Israel-like solution” for Pakistan.

The implications of such rhetoric, analysts warned, were dangerously incendiary.

I stopped leaving my hostel room altogether. Even here, I was not safe—I became the target of verbal abuse by my own roommate.” – A Kashmiri student

“When media personalities make such statements, they legitimise hate. It’s no longer about defending the national interest. It becomes about dehumanising the other side,” Jarar maintains.

Trapped and terrified

As misinformation surged, so did physical threats. Students across Indian universities—especially those from Kashmir—began facing verbal abuse, eviction threats, and, in some cases, violence.

“My exams were coming up, but my family begged me to come home,” says Bhat. “I was told not to speak in public, not to comment online, and to stay inside my room. That fear—it’s something I’ll never forget,” Bhat reflects.

She was not alone. Tehmeena’s story is echoed in dozens of reports compiled by student unions and rights groups. Many students had to cancel academic plans or buy last-minute tickets back to Kashmir under duress.

“The media didn’t just report events—it escalated them,” Afghan asserted. “Studio anchors shouted that Kashmiris were complicit in the attack. That was irresponsible and dangerous.”

In the wake of the misinformation storm, both India and Pakistan implemented information control strategies—but with mixed results.

In Pakistan, access to Twitter was restored during the crisis—despite its broader ban due to regulatory disputes—recognising the platform’s importance in narrative management. “That decision was strategic,” says Nisar.

“But it also allowed a lot of unchecked content to go viral before moderation could catch up.”

India, meanwhile, issued warnings to news channels and digital creators for spreading false information—but critics argued that such actions came too late, after much damage had already been done.

Fighting digital ignorance

Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) criminalises the spread of digital misinformation. However, experts like Afghan believe that legislation alone cannot stem the tide.

“Digital literacy is the real solution. You can’t arrest your way out of a fake news epidemic,” he argues. “The average citizen must be trained to verify before sharing.”

Metrix Pakistan has launched pilot programmes in universities to teach students how to identify manipulated content and use fact-checking tools. “We’re not just fighting trolls—we’re fighting ignorance,” Nisar adds.

The bigger picture

While the dust has settled for now, the recent Pakistan-India conflict has left a trail of digital debris—memes, rumours, fear, and confusion.

“This was a different kind of war. It wasn’t just fought with weapons, but with words, images, and narratives. And in many ways, it is far more dangerous—because everyone becomes a participant,” Jarar contends.

From Peshawar to Pahalgam, from memes to missiles, the battle continues—not just over land or airspace, but over the minds and beliefs of millions.

As governments, journalists, and citizens grapple with this new reality, one truth remains clear: In today’s wars, going viral can be as powerful as going nuclear.

 

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