Did PIB Flag a Fake Advisory After 'Operation Sindoor'?

New Delhi, May 7 (NationPress) Following the successful execution of 'Operation Sindoor' by the Indian armed forces, which targeted nine significant terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the official fact-checking body of the government has flagged a fabricated advisory that has been erroneously credited to the Centre.

This misleading advisory falsely claimed that citizens were advised to remain composed and take precautionary actions, such as storing non-perishable food, medicines, and keeping emergency contacts accessible amidst rising tensions along the India-Pakistan border.

Although the advisory seemed to imitate civil defence guidelines, it was never issued by any legitimate agency.

"An image of an advisory is circulating online, alleging that the government has requested individuals to take precautionary actions and prepare essential items at home. This assertion is FALSE. The government has not released any such advisory," stated the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check division in a message on X.

The PIB further encouraged the public to trust only official government sources for reliable information and warned against disseminating or sharing unverified claims.

In addition to fake advisories, a wider wave of disinformation surfaced from Pakistani media and government-affiliated social media accounts shortly after the operation.

Numerous platforms began propagating unfounded narratives alleging retaliatory strikes by Pakistan on Indian territory, including assertions that the Pakistan Air Force had attacked the Srinagar Airbase and destroyed an Indian Army Brigade Headquarters.

These unfounded claims were widely disseminated by prominent accounts connected to Pakistan's military media division, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), yet they offered no credible evidence, visual verification, or satellite imagery to back their statements.

In a video circulated by various pro-Pakistan accounts, it is falsely claimed that the Pakistan Air Force has targeted the Srinagar airbase. The video in question is outdated and NOT from India; it originates from sectarian clashes that occurred in 2024 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The PIB Fact Check team urged the public to rely solely on official Government of India channels for accurate information,

Another communication from the agency addressed a different viral falsehood: "Social media posts falsely assert that Pakistan obliterated Indian Brigade Headquarters. This assertion is FALSE. Please refrain from sharing unverified information and depend only on authentic sources from the Government of India for accurate data."

Fact-checkers and digital forensic teams discovered that numerous images and videos shared to validate the disinformation were either digitally altered or lifted from unrelated historical events.

Despite the evident lack of authenticity, many of these claims were amplified by segments of mainstream Pakistani media.

The Indian government has urged citizens and the media to exclusively rely on validated information provided by official channels.