Pakistan’s Disinformation Drive: Minister Tarar’s Claims on India’s Operation Sindoor Debunked
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was in the spotlight early today as he launched a series of statements aimed at countering India’s recent precision military operation, Operation Sindoor.
However, as the day progressed, many of his claims unraveled, prompting fact-checkers to call out what has become a classic example of coordinated misinformation.
Tarar began his day addressing the media around 7 a.m., presenting what he portrayed as a bold and victorious Pakistani military response to India’s strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to him, not only had India been forced to retreat, but it had also symbolically surrendered by waving a white flag along the Line of Control (LoC).
Pakistani state media, including PTV News and Samaa TV, broadcast footage of what appeared to be a white flag atop a building, claiming it signified India’s capitulation.
“This is evidence that India has accepted defeat. They have been compelled to raise the white flag,” Tarar declared, with dramatic footage playing in the background.
The footage was attributed to a place referred to as the “Chora Complex” along the LoC. However, Indian sources and independent fact-checkers pointed out that no such location exists on official Indian maps.
The Week also highlighted this discrepancy, suggesting the narrative was manufactured.
Not stopping there, Minister Tarar ramped up the rhetoric by offering what he framed as real-time war updates. He alleged that the Pakistani military had successfully downed five Indian fighter jets in rapid succession.
According to his timeline, confirmation of two Indian aircraft being shot down came around 2:45 a.m., followed by another announcement that a Rafale jet had also been hit. By 5 a.m., Tarar claimed two more Indian aircraft were brought down, totaling five in less than three hours.
Social media in Pakistan soon exploded with images purportedly showing wreckage of an Indian MiG-29 fighter jet, used as “evidence” to support Tarar’s assertions.
However, Indian fact-checking authorities were quick to respond. The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit revealed that the viral photo was from a separate incident that occurred months earlier, in September 202, when a MiG-29 crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, due to a technical failure.
“The image is being misused. It belongs to an older accident involving an IAF MiG-29 and has no connection to recent events,” the PIB Fact Check clarified on social media.
As false narratives continued to emerge, social media platforms were soon flooded with more recycled or fabricated content. One video, widely circulated with the claim that the Pakistani military had launched a retaliatory strike on the Indian Air Force base in Srinagar, was also proven to be deceptive.
The clip was traced back to footage from 2024, showing unrest in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, not an attack in India.
Another sensational claim that quickly went viral alleged that Pakistan had successfully targeted an Indian Army brigade headquarters. This too was dismissed as baseless by Indian authorities, who reiterated that no such incident had occurred.
Adding to the swirl of misinformation, several online accounts began sharing a dramatic video of a missile strike, suggesting it was from Operation Sindoor. However, fact-checkers identified the footage as belonging to a completely unrelated incident—specifically, an Iranian missile strike on Israeli territory in 2024.
Prominent fact-checker Mohammed Zubair cautioned Indian users to remain vigilant against these coordinated disinformation efforts. He flagged the activities of fake social media accounts posing as Indian Army officers, deliberately disseminating divisive and misleading narratives.
One such story that gained traction among Pakistani media outlets, including Samaa TV and Pakistan Today, alleged that a mutiny had occurred within the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army.
The fabricated report claimed that violent clashes between Hindu and Sikh soldiers had left five personnel dead. Zubair categorically debunked the claim, calling it dangerous and entirely false.
In response to the barrage of misinformation, PIB’s Fact Check division issued an official advisory urging the public not to trust unverified or sensationalist claims circulating on social media platforms.
“Please avoid sharing unverified information. Rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate and reliable updates,” the statement read.
As tensions remain high along the LoC following Operation Sindoor, the Indian government continues to prioritize transparency and measured communication. Meanwhile, the proliferation of fabricated news from across the border is being met with swift rebuttals by Indian agencies determined to counter misinformation with facts.
