An organised campaign is going on against the Pakistan army since the emergence of the recent chaotic political situation in Pakistan. Trends against the armed forces and its leadership have seen intense activity on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and the list goes on. Such propaganda campaigns are not new but have been occurring for several years just to weaken Pakistan internally. The contemporary situation around the country further paved the way for its adversaries to expedite their process of disinformation and propaganda, as the nature of war has turned from conventional to non-conventional.
Disinformation or propaganda concerns the deliberate spread of false or unbalanced information by foreign states (or relevant non-state actors) with the primary objective to confuse and mislead, to sow disagreement and discord among parts of the population in other countries. The disinformation-propagating state’s goal is to strategically benefit from the chaotic results of disagreements and to ultimately achieve one’s relative objective. In international relations, disinformation or information manipulation is an instrument of foreign policy. It targets not only the international audience but also the domestic audience as well.
Propagating disinformation proves to be particularly effective at shaping opinion, especially when audiences are unaware that they are being targeted. This means that foreign agents no longer need access to our military bases to practice their tradecraft on our nation’s defenders of freedom. All they need is a computer with internet access to reach thousands of individuals at once on sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
In the case of Pakistan, it no longer remains a secret after getting disclosed in a report of the EU DisInfoLab in 2020 which exposed a disinformation campaign against Pakistan, destroying its image in the international community, and destabilising it internally by attempting to weaken civil-military relations and try and create an atmosphere of lack of trust among the state and their individuals. According to this report, 750 Indian-backed websites have been spreading hatred against Pakistan for the last 15 years and were active in more than 115 countries around the world with the prime objective of the promotion of Anti-Pakistan content.
On December 16, 1971, Radio Pakistan broadcasted: “after an agreement between local commanders, a ceasefire was declared in East Pakistan.” Meanwhile, the BBC was simultaneously reporting that the Pakistan Army had surrendered to Indian troops. Neither is Pakistan’s vulnerability to foreign disinformation efforts new. During the Afghan war of the 1980s, the former Soviet Union took several measures amounting to disinformation designed to disturb the Pakistan-US alliance—challenging the credibility of Pakistan in the region and aiming to incite domestic unrest within the country. This included, for example, distributing leaflets denouncing the Pakistani government’s policies allegedly written by a rogue group within the Pakistan army, and planting stories in the local press stating that the Pakistan army was using the conflict to build more influence in Afghanistan’s politics.
In the age of social media, Pakistan experienced episodes of state-initiated disinformation campaigns at the domestic level.
In 2019, Twitter and Facebook shut down thousands of accounts claimed to be run by the Pakistan military’s PR wing including handles meant to target adversaries across the border and others maliciously campaigning against political opposition and dissenting citizens.
In another instance, an analysis of Twitter trends during TLP Pakistan’s protest in April 2021 revealed that approximately 61 percent of the total hashtags “#CivilWarinPak” and the like originated from India with several Indian-based Twitter fake accounts producing a total of 84,000 tweets, retweets and replies using the hashtag. Seven of the top ten cities where the hashtag was trending were in India. The increased use of social media in Pakistan accompanied by the low level of media literacy and a dearth of fact-checking training and practice to counter disinformation is a high risk in itself.
Here the question arises: why is propaganda spread on social media against Pakistan’s armed forces, especially the Army? Whenever external forces try to weaken Pakistan, they always flunk in their attempts because all such malicious and rogue attempts to destabilise Pakistan have always been thwarted by its armed forces since its inception and act as a barricade in their way with entire public support. Undoubtedly, the people of Pakistan have always believed in their heroes (the military) and supported them all the time. Whereas, a propaganda campaign against the Armed forces especially Pakistan Army has been initiated that intended to create chaos between the general public and the Army. The second reason is that the armed forces are not only confined to wars and battlefields, it is undoubtedly, the last resort in National calamities. Whenever we face floods, heavy rains, earthquakes etc., the soldiers of the Pakistan army are always here to rescue us. During Covid-19 the army was at the forefront. It shows how disciplined and organised the institution of the Army is.
According to Stephen Cohen’s book, some armies guard their nation’s borders; some are occupied with protecting their position in society and some defend a cause or idea, “the Pakistan army does all three”. The primary role of the Pakistan army is to defend the country against all internal and external threats, yet it shares the economic burden of the country by undertaking nation-building projects because of its displayed performance, commitment, loyalty and efficiency.
Attempts are being made by the adversaries of the country, intended to achieve with the nature of warfare constantly evolving, the people of Pakistan need to acknowledge that service members are being targeted in unconventional and subtle ways. These new tactics are surprisingly effective at changing the narrative and views of those who have taken an oath to defend our beloved Pakistan. We the people of Pakistan have to defend our heroes from propaganda and disinformation.
Spreading propaganda is a common tactic used in the post-truth era of politics to manipulate public opinion and create a false narrative. Propaganda involves the dissemination of information, ideas, or opinions with the aim of influencing or manipulating public opinion, often through the use of emotionally charged language, selective information, and biased framing. It can also involve the use of images to create a strong emotional response in the audience. This can be seen in political ads or speeches that use language designed to appeal to people’s emotions, rather than their reason. One example of a propaganda technique often used in politics is “name-calling.” In this tactic, a politician or interest group uses negative language or labels to describe their opponents or opposing viewpoints in order to discredit them, creating a negative impression in the minds of voters. By using derogatory terms, the politician or group hopes to persuade people to reject the opposing viewpoint or candidate without engaging in a substantive debate on the issues. This tactic can be effective because it plays on people’s emotions and biases rather than their rational thinking.
The post-truth phenomenon can be seen in many political contexts, including election campaigns, policy debates, and public discourse more broadly. It has been enabled by the rise of social media, which has made it easier for false or misleading information to spread rapidly and widely, and for individuals and groups to connect with like-minded individuals and form echo chambers in which their views are reinforced and amplified. The implications of the post-truth era for politics are significant, as it can erode public trust in institutions and democratic processes, undermine the ability of citizens to make informed decisions and contribute to the polarization of society.
In recent times, the Pakistani military and its Chief of Army Staff (COAS) have been subjected to the phenomenon of post-truth, where false propaganda is being spread by politicians to paint the military as corrupt, ineffective, or illegitimate. This includes the use of selective reporting of negative news stories, exaggeration or fabrication of military misconduct incidents, and the use of emotionally charged language to create a negative perception of the Pakistani military and the COAS among the general public. The motive behind such actions is mainly to gain political advantage by defaming the military and instilling negative ideas about them in the minds of the public. Such actions are not only unjust but also pose a significant threat to the country’s stability and security. The present-day Twitter trends opposing the COAS and military, defamatory written works against them, utilization of derogatory language aimed at the said institution, and the recent protests in the UK, where individuals held posters of the COAS and criticized the chief and military on an international scale, are all instances of inciting animosity towards the military among the general public. It is imperative to curb such activities and ensure that the military, which is a critical institution for the country’s defense, is not unfairly targeted and defamed.
Inciting the public against their military through social media campaigns and speeches can have serious consequences for the stability and security of a country. Leaders who engage in such behavior are often seeking to further their own political agenda or undermine the military’s authority. This type of incitement can lead to public unrest and civil disobedience, which can not only be capable of creating a dangerous situation for both civilians and military personnel but also paves the way for division between civilians and the military, making it difficult to establish a sense of unity and shared purpose in the country. It can also undermine the morale of military personnel and erode their trust in their leaders. It is significant for leaders to remember that the military is a vital component of a country’s security and should be treated with respect and appreciation.
Indeed, in a democracy, criticism plays an essential role in ensuring that institutions and leaders are held accountable for their actions. Constructive criticism can help identify flaws in policies or actions and encourage positive change. However, it is also essential to ensure that criticism does not cross the limits of decency and respect for the institution or individuals. As when criticism becomes propaganda, it undermines public trust in institutions, polarizes society, and erode the foundations of democracy. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of the language and tone used in criticism and to ensure that criticism is based on objective facts and evidence rather than on personal biases or emotions.
It appears that we are unintentionally creating an environment through certain propaganda that could potentially be exploited by enemy states, such as India, to further weaken the military of Pakistan. These hostile external actors have various tactics at their disposal to achieve this goal, including information operations, which involve spreading false information and exacerbating existing divisions between the military and the public. By doing so, they can amplify the impact of ongoing propaganda efforts.
In addition to information operations, another tactic that can be used by these enemy actors is covert actions, such as cyber-attacks or assassination attempts on key leaders, which can be blamed on the Pakistani military. These actions have the potential to destabilize the country and cripple the military’s capabilities. India, in particular, has reportedly invested significant resources into creating such an environment or taking advantage of one that already exists. Overall, it is crucial that we remain aware of these potential threats and take appropriate measures to counter them rather than engage in such things, as they pose a serious risk to the stability and security of Pakistan. The Details of Indian exploitation has been explained in my earlier Hypothesis namely “Spreading propaganda” published on 14 July 2022.
Recently, among all post-truth propaganda narratives, the issue of nuclear safety in Pakistan has become a subject of political propaganda within the country’s internal affairs. Meanwhile, India has recently intensified its efforts to escalate this baseless propaganda from a national level to an international level, utilizing its media platforms to further exploit Pakistan’s vulnerable state. However, the Pakistani state is much more capable of the safety measures and security of its nuclear weapons. A few days back, the confidence in the security system for the Pakistani nuclear programme was expressed by General Michael Corella, the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), during a hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee. Additionally, Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA chief, addressing a seminar during his visit to Pakistan in February 2023, lauded Pakistan’s nuclear power plants’ safety, terming the safety measures at plants as world-class. So, the propaganda and debate over it is baseless.
It is important for people and politicians to work towards building a strong and resilient society that is united in its support for the armed forces and committed to defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This can involve measures such as promoting national unity, investing in social and economic development, and supporting civil society and media freedom. Remember, the military protects us from national and international threats, it is our duty to protect them from defamation, propaganda and post-truth phenomena.
Article republished by the permission of Jai Kumar Dhirani & Nation.com.pk