Foreign Office Slams Malicious Propaganda by Indian Media to Sabotage Peace Efforts

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Foreign Office has issued a stern warning against a wave of coordinated disinformation originating from Indian news channels, accusing them of spreading "fake propaganda" to sabotage ongoing diplomatic efforts and a fragile regional peace process.

The allegations follow the leaked details of the Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact activation, which saw Pakistani fighter jets and personnel arrive at King Abdulaziz Air Base on April 11. While Islamabad maintains the deployment is purely defensive and aimed at de-escalating tensions following Iranian strikes on Saudi infrastructure, Indian media outlets have reportedly been framing the move as a "nuclear escalation" and an "offensive mobilization."

Key Allegations of Disinformation

Official sources in Islamabad highlighted several narratives being pushed by Indian broadcasters that they claim are designed to incite regional instability:

• Nuclear Misinformation: Indian channels have repeatedly claimed that the 2025 Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) includes a "nuclear umbrella" for Riyadh, a claim Islamabad dismissed as a "dangerous fabrication" intended to alarm the international community.

• Sabotaging Mediation: At a time when Pakistan is actively mediating between the U.S. and Iran to prevent a wider conflict, Indian media has characterized Pakistan's role as "strategic hypocrisy," attempting to alienate Tehran from Islamabad.

• Fabricated "Leaks": Reports indicate that several Indian outlets used doctored documents to suggest the pact was a "one-sided obligation" forced upon Pakistan, aiming to stir domestic civil unrest within Pakistan.

Official Response

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry stated that the "baseless sensationalism" practiced by sections of the Indian media serves only to undermine regional security.

"It is deeply regrettable that at a moment when the region requires calm and mature diplomacy, Indian media is acting as a tool for warmongering and misinformation," the spokesperson said. "Their goal is clear: to sabotage the peace deal and paint a defensive cooperation between two brotherly nations as a threat to global stability."

The Reality of the Deployment

Despite the "noise" from across the border, diplomatic sources confirm that the deployment of Pakistani forces is a result of the 2021 amendment to the 1982 defense pact, recently activated under the Shehbaz Sharif administration.

• Objective: To provide technical support and joint deterrence against further strikes on energy infrastructure.

• Stance: Pakistan remains committed to its role as a mediator, ensuring that its defense commitments to Saudi Arabia do not translate into an offensive posture against Iran.

The Foreign Office has urged the international community and global social media platforms to take note of the "information warfare" being waged, which poses a direct threat to the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in the Gulf.