Security forces has categorically rejected a fabricated social media campaign falsely claiming that a senior military officer and four soldiers were killed in a drone strike inside Bannu Cantonment. The completely false narrative, being circulated by Indian-linked social media accounts and TTP-affiliated handles, has been exposed as part of a coordinated disinformation operation targeting Pakistan’s military and national unity.
The viral posts which falsely alleged that “Brigadier Ahmed Mukhtar and four Punjabi soldiers were eliminated in a drone attack by Pashtun fighters” have been declared entirely baseless. There is no such officer by that name in the Pakistan Army, and no such incident has taken place.
“This is a clear-cut case of fake news, spread deliberately to mislead the public and provoke ethnic discord,” said a senior security official. “It reflects a pattern of digital warfare by hostile elements attempting to undermine trust in national institutions.”
Cyber intelligence teams have traced the origin of the disinformation to a network of Indian propaganda accounts, many impersonating local voices, working in coordination with TTP-aligned digital actors. The coordinated use of ethnic framing and fabricated military casualties points to a malicious attempt to sow division and instability inside Pakistan.
The Pakistan Army reiterated that it remains a unified national force, representing all provinces and communities, and no amount of propaganda can erode its cohesion or credibility. Authorities are actively engaging social media platforms for removal of the fake content and taking legal and diplomatic steps against those involved in foreign-sponsored psychological operations.
The public is strongly advised to rely only on verified information from official sources, and to report false content instead of spreading it further. “Pakistan’s enemies may fight with lies—we respond with truth, strength, and unity,” the official concluded.
