In yet another display of irresponsible journalism, India’s hyper-nationalist “Godi Media” has once again demonstrated its willingness to cross every line, including facts, ethics, and basic verification, in its obsessive quest to malign Pakistan. The latest example? A fake news story so flimsy, it collapsed almost as soon as it aired.
Amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan, Afghanistan border, Indian news outlets ran with a sensational claim: that a Pakistani Army officer named “Major Adil Dawar” had been killed in cross-border clashes. Their “evidence” was a widely circulated image showing a man in uniform, complete with the caption “Major Adil Dawar,” and a claim of martyrdom. The only problem? It was entirely fake.
The Truth Behind the Photo
The man in the photo is not a soldier, let alone a martyr. He is Adil Dawar, a well-known civil society activist and progressive youth leader from North Waziristan. The image that sparked the false report was actually a photo-shopped meme, originally shared on social media as satire. It was never meant to be taken seriously, and certainly not broadcast as fact.
Adil Dawar himself has publicly refuted the claim. In a social media post, he wrote:
“I am neither a major, nor have I participated in any battle. I was shocked to see such news. Journalism should not be turned into a joke.”
But facts, as usual, have never been a priority for channels driven more by political loyalty than professional integrity.
A Pattern of Disinformation
This is not an isolated incident. In 2021, during the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, Indian channels infamously aired a video of young men dancing at a wedding in Bannu, falsely claiming it showed Taliban fighters celebrating in Afghanistan. The clip was not only misattributed, it wasn’t even from Afghanistan.
These repeated stunts highlight a pattern, weaponizing misinformation to stoke anti-Pakistan sentiment, push government-aligned narratives, and feed a nationalist audience hungry for sensationalism, even at the cost of truth.
No Shame, No Correction
Despite being caught red-handed in yet another false report, none of the Indian outlets issued a formal correction, nor did they retract the baseless claim about Adil Dawar. Their silence speaks volumes about the state of editorial standards in segments of the Indian media landscape.
In contrast, Pakistani social media users and fact-checkers quickly identified the image as a doctored meme, with many expressing both outrage at the disinformation and support for the real Adil Dawar, who now finds himself thrust into the spotlight for reasons entirely disconnected from his actual work.
This episode reveals more than just sloppy journalism, it lays bare how Godi Media has become a willing tool in the hands of political operatives, willing to trade truth for propaganda. Turning a civilian into a “martyr” may serve a short-term narrative, but it comes at the long-term cost of credibility, accountability, and public trust.
As always, facts matter, even when they don’t fit the script.
