Has Pakistan Initiated a Disinformation Campaign?

Jammu, May 3 (NationPress) - The Indian Army announced on Saturday that Pakistani media and their affiliated social media accounts have initiated a disinformation campaign targeting the nation's armed forces officers. This response comes after India's unwavering commitment to hold accountable those responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

According to a defence ministry source, "In light of India's steadfast determination to bring the culprits of the April 22 Pahalgam incident to justice, numerous media outlets and proxy social media accounts based in Pakistan have embarked on a synchronized misinformation campaign aimed at undermining senior Indian Armed Forces officials."

The official highlighted that these claims have been thoroughly debunked by official documentation and credible fact-checking, further revealing Islamabad's tendency to resort to fake narratives when faced with the prospect of decisive Indian action.

“Pakistani outlets and troll networks falsely claimed that Lieutenant General D.S. Rana, Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency, had been 'dismissed' and exiled to the 'Kala Pani penal colony in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' due to alleged operational failures,” the source stated.

The defence representative clarified that rather than being dismissed, Lieutenant General Rana has received a promotion to the rank of Commander-in-Chief in situ, which means he will maintain his position as DG DIA while ascending to a higher rank. He is scheduled to assume command of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), a prestigious tri-service command, on June 1, 2025.

Furthermore, pro-Pakistani social media accounts insinuated that Lieutenant General M.V. Suchindra Kumar was ‘shunted out’ of the Northern Command due to security lapses associated with the Pahalgam attack. However, Lieutenant General Suchindra Kumar honorably retired on April 30, 2025, after nearly forty years of distinguished service, and the routine command change had been announced well in advance.

The official also mentioned that a network of accounts linked to Pakistan claimed that Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar, was “dismissed” for “refusing to engage in conflict” with Pakistan.

“Air Marshal Dharkar concluded his full tenure and retired on April 30, 2025, receiving a ceremonial guard of honor and paying tribute at the National War Memorial. Air Marshal Tiwari has since succeeded him as Vice Chief of the Air Staff in an orderly succession plan. These fabrications clearly follow a pattern, emerging shortly after New Delhi's calibrated diplomatic and military responses post-Pahalgam incident,” the source elaborated.

The official further emphasized that senior commanders overseeing intelligence, Northern theatre operations, and air power deployment have been targeted to create doubt about India's operational readiness. He noted that these narratives have been disseminated by a cluster of known ISI-linked social media accounts, which have previously propagated misinformation regarding Balakot, surgical strikes, and Rafale capabilities.

The Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters, the Ministry of Defence, and independent media outlets have issued clarifications swiftly, preventing the misinformation from gaining domestic traction. The Indian government has also blocked multiple Pakistan-based channels and accounts disseminating doctored content, in accordance with the Information Technology Rules 2021.

The representative concluded that the Indian Armed Forces remain fully mission-ready, with leadership transitions occurring smoothly under established protocols.

“Pakistan's latest disinformation campaign is indicative of its desperation in the face of India's measured yet firm stance against cross-border terrorism. The Indian Armed Forces, grounded in transparency, professional integrity, and constitutional oversight, will not be swayed by such propaganda,” the official asserted.