Following the Pehelgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 27 Indian tourists in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, the Indian state’s response was demonstrative of a disturbing pattern, “Pakistan Did It”. The Indian government and the media quickly pointed the finger at Pakistan, even before photographic evidence or a responsible militant group was established as responsible. Accompanying this response were coordinated efforts by political figures and online disinformation networks reliant on a well-understood narrative that puts Pakistan at the centre of blame, as per the political interests of the BJP/RSS Hindutva high command.

Rather, this response is a piece of a broader strategic approach. However, it raises important questions about the reasons, and resulting impacts, behind such actions.

At stake is not just Pakistan’s diplomatic standing, but rather that of the broader integrity of international discourse in regard to terrorism, state behaviour, and cognitive security

The reflexive blame game is one that needs to be looked through the spherical view of regional geopolitics, psychological operations, and fifth generation warfare. But at stake is not just Pakistan’s diplomatic standing, but rather that of the broader integrity of international discourse in regard to terrorism, state behaviour, and cognitive security.

A Pattern of Narrative Warfare: Chatissinghpora Massacre of Sikhs by the Indian army in 2000, Pulwama in 2019, Balakot soon after. The Gurdaspur incident in 2015 and now Pehalgam. India does the same thing in all these high-profile terror incidents; first is an unsubstantiated allegation against Pakistan, then follows an aggressive media campaign, and then, in an attempt to box Pakistan in a defensive posture, pressure on international platforms.

Every time, it was either no visible evidence or it turned out to be bunk later on. But the most glaring case is that of Pulwama–Balakot episode when satellite imagery later revealed that what India’s so called ‘surgical strike’ was nothing but hitting a cluster of trees. The damage to Pakistan’s image had already been done.

Perception in a fifth-generation warfare environment is everything

It only takes the Indian establishment a few minutes to come up with these fabricated and lazy allegations, keeping the logic behind it disturbingly simple: “blame Pakistan. India realises in the digital age, the truth travels slower than social media virality. A lie that can be repeated early enough will become part of the global interpretation system. Perception in a fifth-generation warfare environment is everything.

India’s weaponisation of terror incidents for narrative warfare has dangerous consequences as it actively destroys the very idea of South Asian counterterrorism cooperation. Each time New Delhi cuts short the investigative process in exchange for political expediency, it diminishes the efforts to combat violent extremism and undermines the level of trust required for regional stability.

Similarly, this reflex to blame Pakistan also has an internal function for the Indian state. Ever-growing antagonism over repressive practices in the Kashmir region, growing anti-Muslim violence in the crazed pseudo fascist shadow of Hindutva, and international scrutiny of civil liberties have made the Indian government routinely externalise the blame. By breaking down the Pakistani ‘other’ into a convenient enemy, this narrative unites voters against a common foe, suppresses dissent, and fuels conflict in disputed territories.

This tactic is not new. It is a textbook feature of modern hybrid warfare, a form of perception engineering. More and more, it is also being passed to Western think tanks and media outlets, through sophisticated lobbying, diaspora networks, and guided ‘misinformation’ campaigns.

To its credit, Pakistan has always patiently exercised restraint, diplomacy and shown restraint in the face of such provocations. This is not a weakness. It is strategic maturity. But tit for tat information warfare got too high a price. Pakistan knows that neither can it afford to sacrifice its international standing, economic partnership notably with China under CPEC, nor be able to be a long-term regional leader by choosing to indulge in reactive outrage.

The Pehelgam tragedy also shows how one can no longer treat disinformation as a media nuisance

And, Pakistan is not in a position where it can remain silent. The Pehelgam tragedy also shows how one can no longer treat disinformation as a media nuisance. That is a national security threat. It requires a proactive cognitive defence strategy based on narrative control, factual narrative projection and rapid diplomatic engagement that is the only effective response.

Pehelgam is not only a case of misattribution but also the Urgency of Cognitive Security. It is a fifth-generation psychological warfare case study. In a war of this kind, the battles are fought with ammunition of beliefs. It is not territory for the target, but truth. The battlefield is not a trench, it is in the human mind.

Winning such a war requires some cognitive investment on the part of Pakistan. This will entail remoulding of public education to teach digital hygiene, media literacy, and critical thinking from the get-go. This also entails working with content creators, influencers, and journalists as partners in national resilience, developing the means to find, frustrate and counter hostile messages.

Second, Pakistan must also strengthen its civil-military synergy in the information space. The Inter Services Public Relations must work in concert with the Ministry of Information and foreign missions to counter disinformation cycles in advance, respond to disinformation in real time with evidence-based messaging and present unified counter-narratives across global audiences as well.

The functions of this alliance should include to monitor cross-border information flows, authenticate claims in sensitive events such as Pehalgam and publish multilingual content that can fight fake news before it metastasises

The creation of a regional fact-checking alliance based in Pakistan and drawing on institutions such as Soch Fact Check, among other credible media houses, is equally important. The functions of this alliance should include to monitor cross-border information flows, authenticate claims in sensitive events such as Pehalgam and publish multilingual content that can fight fake news before it metastasises.

Further undermining India’s narrative against Pakistan is India’s record of state-sponsored destabilisation. Indian intelligence has been funding and arming its separatist proxies like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Republican Army (BRA), as per dossiers submitted to the United Nations. The fact that Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested on Pakistani soil, working under a false identity, is hard evidence of active subversion.

And yet India maintains its silence in the face of the rising tide of Islamophobic violence within its borders, fails to protect religious minorities and represses dissenters. Through manufactured external enemies, it is India’s internal crisis of legitimacy with which it seeks to deflect.

It means bolstering relationships with China, Turkey and the Gulf states to align on digital diplomacy

Pakistan now needs to move from reactive denial to a strategic deterrence in the information domain, this is what the ‘Way Forward’ is. This includes building the capacity to see the Pehalgam narrative traps before they become tools of war. Now, it means bolstering relationships with China, Turkey and the Gulf states to align on digital diplomacy. That implies investing in the intellectual capital to compete in the global narrative marketplace, such as research institutions, think tanks, and strategic communications that can help build the intellectual capital.

Cognitive security is as important to national security as cybersecurity and border defence, it is on a par with societal scale urgency. Pakistani citizens have become information nodes. Each forward, retweet or share has national security implications. Passive consumption has now gone out of time. We are living in an era of narrative warfare. However, we have a vigilant, informed, and disciplined citizenry that has demanded it.

It is a tragedy that as many as 27 souls are dead in the Pehalgam attack. But it is also a warning. Unless Pakistan vigorously contests the false narratives that follow such incidents, it will remain portrayed as a perpetrator rather than a victim of terrorism. That is a distortion of facts and justice.

Uncovering the truth may require time and effort, leveraging appropriate tools, forming strategic alliances, and enhancing public awareness can ensure that the truth prevails over Hindutva propaganda

A crucial turning point for Pehelgam will occur when Pakistan establishes its stance with determination rather than mere words. This approach should prioritise strategic planning over slogans. While uncovering the truth may require time and effort, leveraging appropriate tools, forming strategic alliances, and enhancing public awareness can ensure that the truth prevails over Hindutva propaganda.

Pakistan cannot be left to be defined by the lies that India has peddled for decades, and to the detriment of the occupied and subjugated Kashmiris. Pakistan has to define itself through the facts it presents, the conduct it maintains and the narratives it controls. That is how nations win the war of perceptions internally and beyond their borders.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.