For years, Pakistan has stated that India is engaging in a fifth-generation hybrid war which relies heavily on a disinformation campaign. Now it seems that much of that is true as a massive network of fake news websites and NGOs linked to Indian entities has been exposed that were used to spread propaganda against Pakistan internationally.
The Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab has uncovered a vast network of fake media organizations linked to India that spread anti-Pakistan propaganda for years. The scale of the network is staggering: 750 media websites in 116 countries, 550 domains, stolen identities and impersonation of institutions, resurrecting dead people and setting up ten NGOs for the purpose of pushing fake news since the past 15 years.
The ‘Indian Chronicles’ as it is known is the largest network exposed by the EU DisinfoLab which aims to check disinformation. Interestingly, many of these fake NGOs were accredited to UN Human Rights Council to appear legitimate. These dormant NGOs then issued press statements against Pakistan which were amplified by Indian news agencies and published in media outlets as part of a smear campaign.
Expectedly India has not given any plausible explanation for the expose. The only answer by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is denial. India could have denied if it was revealed by Pakistan but the extensive report by a European entity gives its sufficient credibility and cannot be dismissed.
Perhaps this would be an opportunity to hold India accountable for spreading disinformation and fake news as part of its obsession and relentless smear campaign against Pakistan. EU authorities should investigate the involvement of the Indian state and hold those accountable who misused EU institutions and procedures.
The UN should also investigate how the platform of the UNHRC was misused against a member state. It is imperative these fake NGOs are investigated to unravel those who funded them for nefarious purposes. Fake news has already created much disorder and it’s time the world saw how India acted as a purveyor of anti-Pakistan sentiments globally with false narratives.
Pakistan had earlier exposed India by publishing a dossier containing irrefutable evidence on state-sponsored terrorism and subversive activities. The release of the Indian Chronicles has vindicated Pakistan’s stance but now the international community needs to take notice that the Indian regime threatens the stability of the global system.
