Pakistan's ISI-led disinformation machine threatens global stability, report warns
Synopsis
A new report from Athens-based Directus warns that Pakistan's ISI and ISPR have built a professionalised disinformation machine — troll farms, bot networks, and fake news portals — capable of distorting global narratives from Kashmir to Tehran, all while the country faces a severe economic crisis.
Key Takeaways
Directus , an Athens-based outlet, published a report on 9 May flagging Pakistan-linked disinformation as a threat to global stability.
The ISI and ISPR reportedly operate specialised wings including an information management wing for media and cyber operations.
A study cited in the report identified more than 50 Pakistani-linked accounts on X amplifying anti-India narratives, generating millions of impressions.
Following the 2025 Pahalgam attack , Pakistani bots allegedly flooded global feeds with claims of an Indian genocide and fabricated fears of a nuclear strike.
Pakistan-linked networks also reportedly circulated unverified claims that India secretly assisted the US in strikes on Iran — allegations described as unsupported by evidence.
The report raises questions about how a country in a severe economic crisis funds such a professionalised information warfare operation.
Pakistan-linked disinformation campaigns are no longer a regional concern — they are increasingly viewed as a systematic effort to destabilise democracies, inflame violence, and erode global trust, according to a report published on Saturday, 9 May by Athens-based analytical outlet Directus. From stoking tensions with India to shaping narratives around the Middle East conflict, these operations are assessed as posing material risks to international stability.
A Deeply Institutionalised Disinformation Ecosystem
The report identifies Pakistan's military-intelligence apparatus — particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) — as the architects of this information warfare infrastructure. According to the report, both agencies operate specialised wings, including a dedicated
Point of View
A country dependent on IMF bailouts and struggling with double-digit inflation, is reportedly sustaining a professionalised, multi-platform information warfare apparatus. That paradox deserves scrutiny — either the costs are lower than assumed, or the funding trail leads somewhere that governments have chosen not to follow publicly. More critically, the report's framing of disinformation as asymmetric warfare rather than mere propaganda has policy implications: it demands a legal and institutional response, not just fact-checking. With AI-generated content lowering the cost of synthetic media, the window for democracies to build resilient counter-frameworks is narrowing fast.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pakistan's alleged role in global disinformation campaigns?
According to a report by Athens-based Directus, Pakistan's ISI and ISPR operate specialised wings including troll farms, bot networks, and fake news portals to spread disinformation globally. These campaigns have targeted narratives around India, the Pahalgam attack, and the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
What happened during the 2025 Pahalgam attack in terms of information warfare?
Following the 2025 Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, Pakistani bots reportedly flooded global social media feeds with claims of an Indian genocide and fabricated fears of a potential Indian nuclear strike. The report notes these were false, given India's publicly stated No First Use nuclear policy.
How is Pakistan's disinformation linked to the Middle East conflict?
Pakistan-linked networks allegedly circulated unverified claims that India secretly assisted the United States in strikes on Iran by sharing intelligence. The report states these allegations are not supported by evidence but have the potential to mislead policymakers and media globally.
How does Pakistan fund its information warfare given its economic crisis?
The report raises this as an open question, noting that a professionalised disinformation system requires substantial financial resources — making it 'fascinating' that a country in severe economic crisis sustains such operations. The funding source is not identified.
What does the report recommend democracies do about state-sponsored disinformation?
The report calls on democracies to treat state-sponsored disinformation as a national security matter, punish those who support it, strengthen fact-checking networks, and ensure responsible use of artificial intelligence to prevent truth from being supplanted by the highest bidder.
