Fake Frontlines: Pakistan’s Top 5 Social Media Lies, Busted with Facts

As drones buzz overhead and missiles strike along the western border, Pakistan has opened a more insidious front-the war for perception. In the aftermath of India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, the response has extended beyond military retaliation. A coordinated wave of digital misinformation has flooded social media, driven by pro-Pakistan accounts and bot networks. These fabrications aren’t just designed to mislead- they are crafted to manipulate, distort and seize control of the narrative.

Doctored satellite images, fabricated videos and blatant lies are being produced and amplified - not just to mislead the public, but to divert attention from Islamabad’s own acts of aggression:

What follows is a breakdown of the top five lies being peddled online as part of this misinformation war:

A viral image claimed multiple explosions had rocked the Jammu Air Force Base. However, PIB Fact Check debunked the claim, revealing that the photo wasn’t recent, and wasn’t even from India. It actually shows the Kabul Airport bombing from August 2021, now being falsely circulated to incite panic and spread misinformation.

2. ATMs Closed in India For 2-3 Days? PIB Fact Checks

A widely shared WhatsApp message claimed that ATMs would stay shut for 2-3 days. This message is fake. ATMs are not shutting down. In fact, they are operating as usual.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Thursday debunked a viral WhatsApp message that falsely claimed ATMs across the country would remain closed for 2–3 days. The message, which spread rapidly on the popular messaging platform, caused anxiety among some users over access to cash, but officials have confirmed there is no truth to it.

3. Gujarat Port Attacked? PIB Debunks Viral Video

A video claiming to show an attack on Gujarat’s Hazira Port made rounds on social media. But fact-checks revealed it was actually footage of an oil tanker explosion from July 7, 2021, completely unrelated to current events.

Another video went viral on the internet, claiming a drone attack in Jalandhar. PIB Fact Check confirmed that the clip actually depicted a farm fire. The video has visible times stamp of 7:39 pm, while the drone attack began later.

Another fake claim involves a staged video shared by Pakistani-linked accounts, claiming a successful strike on an Indian Army post operated by the so-called "20 Raj Battalion." However, PIB Fact Check confirmed the entire claim is bogus-no such unit exists in the Indian Army, and the video is clearly fabricated. Authorities have flagged it as part of a deliberate campaign to mislead the public and stir tensions.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on the night of Thursday, May 8 and into the early hours of Friday, May 9, following a series of cross-border military engagements involving drones and missiles. India announced that it had "neutralised" Pakistani drone and missile attacks targeting multiple military installations, including sites in Jammu and Pathankot on Thursday night. This came after Indian forces successfully thwarted similar attempts at 15 locations across the northern and western regions of the country, as tensions between the two nations intensified, raising concerns of a wider conflict.

Amid rising tensions, the Border Security Force successfully foiled a major infiltration attempt by suspected terrorists along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district.

Pakistan, in the early hours of Friday, resorted to heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Chowkibal Kupwar.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.