Pakistan Condemns What It Calls India’s “Bollywood-Style” Propaganda

Pakistan Military Accuses India of Election-Driven Propaganda Over May Conflict

Pakistan’s military has issued a scathing rebuke of India’s military leadership, accusing them of reviving “delusional, fabricated, and provocative” claims about the May conflict to influence upcoming state elections in Bihar and West Bengal.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces, alleges that India routinely employs hostile rhetoric against Pakistan to divert public attention from domestic challenges, including economic difficulties and rising communal tensions. According to the ISPR statement, such tactics are designed to project strength and rally nationalist sentiment among the Indian electorate.

“Turning foreign policy into an election slogan endangers regional stability,” the ISPR warned, highlighting concerns that politicizing security matters threatens peace throughout South Asia. The military spokesperson urged Indian leadership to refrain from militarizing political discourse for electoral gain.

The statement took particular aim at what it characterized as “Bollywood-style scripts” created by India’s top military brass, claiming these narratives attempt to glorify fabricated victories while concealing operational failures during the May confrontation. The ISPR contended that such theatrical narratives have “turned the Indian military machine into a laughing stock before the world,” suggesting that truly professional military institutions focus on strategy rather than political theater.

To bolster its position, Pakistan’s military pointed to alleged inconsistencies in various Indian officials’ accounts of the May events, including contradictory claims regarding operations, casualties, and outcomes. These discrepancies, the ISPR argued, undermine India’s credibility in international forums.

The conflict in question erupted after an attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which New Delhi promptly attributed to Pakistan—an accusation Islamabad categorically denied. In response, India conducted what it termed “surgical strikes” on targets in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Azad Kashmir. Pakistan challenged India’s narrative by releasing radar data, recovered wreckage, and footage purportedly showing the downing of multiple Indian aircraft.

The ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes on Indian military installations demonstrated “measured precision and professional discipline.” A ceasefire brokered by the United States eventually prevented further escalation into a full-scale conflict. Security analysts later described the episode as a failure of deterrence diplomacy, with both nuclear-armed nations recognizing the dangers of brinkmanship.

Recently, India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai claimed that the Indian Navy was fully prepared under “Operation Sindoor” and suggested that any Pakistani counter-action would have faced catastrophic consequences. He also alleged that Pakistan lost more than 100 soldiers and sustained heavy damage to its airbases.

The ISPR dismissed these assertions as “blatant contradictions not worthy of a reply,” arguing that India’s narrative has shifted multiple times since May, indicating a lack of evidence and coherence. Pakistan maintains that the engagement—which it refers to as “Marka-e-Haq”—resulted in a “decisive and humiliating” defeat for Indian forces.

Regional security experts note that India’s pattern of intensifying cross-border rhetoric before state elections is well-documented, reflecting a broader dynamic where propaganda often supersedes diplomatic engagement between the two neighbors.

In its conclusion, the ISPR cautioned that unchecked jingoism could further destabilize the already fragile security environment in South Asia. It emphasized the importance of restraint, dialogue, and confidence-building measures to prevent future escalation. Simultaneously, it reasserted Pakistan’s readiness to defend its territory, warning that any aggression would be met with a “swift, resolute, and intense response.”

“Responsible nations build bridges, not false narratives,” the statement concluded, affirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability while emphasizing it would not compromise on sovereignty or security matters.

The public exchange highlights the ongoing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors, whose relationship has remained strained since the partition of British India in 1947 and through subsequent wars and border skirmishes.