Misinformation Campaign Fuels Tensions After 'Operation Sindoor'

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's unfounded claims of downing Indian jets spotlight a broader misinformation campaign following Operation Sindoor's successful strikes on terror sites. His bizarre reliance on social media for evidence underscores the ongoing propaganda efforts exacerbating India-Pakistan tensions post-operation.

In a contentious turn of events, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has been at the forefront of the misinformation struggle following 'Operation Sindoor,' which reportedly destroyed nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Asif, in a CNN interview, astonishingly claimed that five Indian jets had been shot down, citing social media as his source of evidence.

When pressed for details about the alleged downings, Asif was unable to provide concrete evidence or specifics on the equipment used, instead vaguely mentioning Chinese-made planes like the JF-17 and JF-10. This comes amid Asif's prior admission of Pakistan's historical support for terror groups, a contentious revelation that has added fuel to the ongoing narrative firefight.

The situation escalated as Indian forces conducted a targeted operation in response to the Pahalgam attack, effectively dismantling multiple terror sites without harming civilians. Despite Pakistan's acknowledgment of the strikes, efforts to spread misleading claims about downed jets have persisted, with India's Press Information Bureau debunking viral images and videos used in the propaganda offensive.

(With inputs from agencies.)