We once imagined warfare as something you could see—soldiers on borders, jets roaring overhead, headlines warning of strikes and counterstrikes. But that picture is outdated. The most dangerous battles today don’t make noise. They unfold quietly, across screens and social feeds, where manipulated narratives travel faster than truth, and the boundary between fact and fiction grows thinner by the hour. Pakistan, like many other nations, is now caught in a new kind of warfare—one that doesn’t need boots on the ground, only algorithms and intention.
It didn’t happen overnight. As globalization sped up and information technology transformed how we connect, a vast human network emerged—more connected than ever in history. But that same network, while powerful, also opened the door to something darker: information leaks, data theft, and psychological manipulation on a mass scale. Social media platforms, designed for communication and expression, are now being used to distort reality. And the consequences are becoming harder to ignore.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2025 didn’t hold back—it named disinformation and misinformation as immediate global threats. Why? Because they undermine trust, paralyze institutions, and make it harder for societies to respond to crises. In Pakistan, we’re seeing this play out in real-time. From manipulated hashtags to AI-generated videos, our information space is being shaped by actors who don’t want to inform—they want to influence.
Much of this manipulation targets the most active part of our population: young people. For many of them, social media isn’t just a tool—it’s the lens through which they see the world. But that lens is often warped. According to the Digital Habits of Pakistani Youth, 2023 report by Bytes for All, over 60% of young users encountered online conflicts that left them confused and emotionally distressed. That statistic isn’t just troubling—it’s a warning sign. When confusion becomes the norm, trust erodes, and once that happens, it’s much easier to sway public opinion with falsehoods.
The danger isn’t just domestic. In 2021, EU Disinfo Lab uncovered a massive network of 750 fake media outlets operating across 116 countries, many linked to India. These sites didn’t just report misinformation; they were designed to look like credible international news sources while pushing anti-Pakistan narratives. Their goal wasn’t just to discredit Pakistan abroad—it was to sow doubt within.
We’ve seen how effective these tactics can be. During the Jaffar Express terrorist attack, fabricated content—including old footage, AI-generated images, and misleading captions—spread quickly on social media. People were misled, panic grew, and attention shifted away from the real perpetrators. This kind of distortion isn’t just about misinformation—it’s about destabilization.
The digital front lines are perhaps most active in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Indian media machinery focuses much of its energy here, producing images of unrest and dissatisfaction as if they define daily life in the region. But anyone who’s spent time in AJK—or even followed local media closely—knows that narrative doesn’t hold. The reality is far less dramatic and far more grounded in national sentiment.
Whether it’s Independence Day, Defence Day, or Kashmir Solidarity Day, people in AJK come out in large numbers, not out of fear or force, but because the connection they feel to Pakistan is genuine. These aren’t symbolic gestures—they’re expressions of belonging. And when you place that alongside the situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where India tries hard to manufacture the appearance of normalcy or local approval, the contrast is impossible to ignore.
Still, we can’t rely on resilience alone. Awareness is growing, yes—but awareness must lead to action. Pakistan needs a coordinated strategy to confront this challenge. We need media literacy programs that go beyond schools and reach parents, professionals, and communities. People must learn how to question sources, resist emotional manipulation, and think critically before they share. But education is just one piece of the puzzle.
There must also be stronger cyber laws, not just to punish individual offenders but to dismantle the networks behind them. This requires collaboration—between the state, tech companies, civil society, and the media. Without shared responsibility, we’ll keep reacting after the damage is done. And we can’t afford to be reactive anymore.
International cooperation is also essential. Disinformation crosses borders effortlessly, so we must partner with other countries to track and expose coordinated campaigns. We’ve already seen how international investigations like EU DisinfoLab can help. But we need our own infrastructure to monitor, respond, and push back with facts—quickly and convincingly.
Just as importantly, we must invest in telling our own story. If we don’t define the narrative, others will do it for us—and not in our favor. That means supporting independent journalism, creating strong public diplomacy platforms, and funding content that reflects the complexity and diversity of Pakistan. Facts matter, but so do stories. And the best way to counter a lie is with a story that’s both true and powerful.
This isn’t about controlling speech—it’s about protecting sovereignty. In today’s world, sovereignty isn’t just about borders. It’s about controlling your narrative, owning your truth, and defending your people from digital harm. The fifth battlefield—after land, sea, air, and space—is already active. Whether we like it or not, we’re in it. The question is whether we’ll rise to meet it.
