Disinformation as a Distraction
On August 5th, 2025 a wave of false news spread quickly across social media and television networks in India. It claimed that tensions had once again risen along the India-Pakistan border. The reports painted a picture of jets flying in the skies and both nations standing at the edge of another confrontation. The choice of date was not random. It happened exactly three years after India revoked Articles 370 and 35A, which had given Jammu and Kashmir a special level of autonomy. For many people, this was not an accident. They saw it as a planned move to distract from the meaning of that day and to take attention away from the ongoing struggles faced by the people of Kashmir.
The plan was simple yet highly effective. By spreading a story about an urgent military situation, the focus shifted away from Kashmir. The headlines stopped talking about human rights violations and political marginalization. They were now about jets in the sky and troops on the ground. Disinformation is not a new weapon, but the damage it causes is always dangerous. It changes what people talk about and think about, and it can shape the direction of public opinion with frightening speed.
What made this particular event more powerful was how people in Pakistan reacted. Many citizens saw the claims and began to share them without checking if they were true. Social media was soon flooded with posts filled with worry, anger, and calls for action. This emotional response was understandable given the long history between the two countries, but it also helped the false story spread even faster. The very people who were trying to speak out against the situation were unknowingly adding strength to the same narrative that had been designed to distract them.
Countering Disinformation
This moment shows how urgent it is to build awareness of how disinformation works. People need to know that it is not always about spreading obvious lies. It is often about setting the frame of the discussion so that the public starts focusing on a completely different issue. It can guide emotions and behavior without the audience even realizing it. When people act before they have verified the facts, they become players in a larger game controlled by someone else.
Pakistan needs to build strong defenses against such tactics. That means creating programs that explain what disinformation is and how it works. These programs must not stay locked inside universities or government offices. They have to reach every part of society. Students, workers and professionals must all be given the tools to check information before they react. They need to understand what makes a source reliable and what signs show that a story might be fake. They also need to learn how to stay calm in the face of provocative content instead of letting fear or anger control their response.
Media literacy must be at the heart of this effort. In the digital age, news moves faster than ever before. A single false claim can spread to millions of people in minutes. Media literacy means knowing how online platforms work. It means understanding that algorithms can trap people inside echo chambers where they only see content that reinforces their beliefs. It also means recognizing that fake news often plays on fears and existing divisions to make people react more strongly.
At the same time, the fight against disinformation cannot be left to individuals alone. There should be strong cooperation between the government, civil society, and the media. Together, they can build systems to track false stories and respond quickly. This includes setting up trusted fact-checking groups supporting transparent and ethical journalism and holding accountable those who knowingly spread lies. The goal is not to silence people but to make sure truth has the same reach and power as falsehood.
Conclusion
The events of August 5th, 2025, are a warning. They show how easily attention can be redirected and how quickly emotions can be used as tools. Even if India succeeded in moving the spotlight away from Kashmir for a short time, the damage to trust and unity is much deeper. Disinformation divides communities, makes dialogue harder, and weakens the foundations of democracy.
Pakistan must learn from this moment. The key is not to react to every provocation. The key is to rise above them with patience and with the strength that comes from knowing the truth. If the people of Pakistan are informed and aware, they will not be easy targets for manipulation. They will question what they see and hear before passing it on.
The fight for truth is more than a political struggle. It is a struggle for the health of society. Every person has a role to play. By choosing to think critically and check facts before reacting, we can build a culture that protects itself from lies.
The real victory will come when no false story can pull us away from the issues that matter most. If Pakistan commits to awareness education and unity, then its people will not only defend their own understanding of the world but also stand as a shield against the forces that try to divide them. Only then can the nation stand firm against the tide of disinformation and remain focused on the pursuit of justice and truth.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
Muhammad Bilal Khan is a journalist specializing in non-traditional security (NTS) threats. He is currently affiliated with the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected].