Several videos circulated on the social media platform X, falsely claiming to show attacks by Pakistani forces, have been debunked by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Among the most recent, footage purporting to depict Pakistani attacks on Hazira Port in Gujarat and a drone strike in Jalandhar has been labelled fraudulent.
The PIB clarified that one of the videos is, in fact, unrelated and depicts an oil tanker explosion. According to the PIB’s Fact Check handle on X, the footage is dated 7 July 2021 and does not pertain to any current military developments.
The video, falsely circulated as evidence of a Pakistani assault on the port, actually captures a tanker explosion that occurred more than three years ago. Fact-checkers confirmed the content has no link to the ongoing military situation, despite being widely reposted by unauthenticated accounts on social media. These accounts misleadingly claimed it showed destruction caused by Pakistani strikes.
The PIB’s fact-checking unit, which has been actively monitoring misinformation amid heightened tensions, also refuted another widely shared video on Friday morning. This clip, falsely described as showing the aftermath of a drone attack in Jalandhar, was confirmed to be footage of a farm fire.
PIB’s tweet stated, “Drone Attack in Jalandhar. This drone strike video from #Jalandhar is widely circulating on social media#PIBFactCheck This is an unrelated video of a farm fire. The video has the time 7:39 PM, while the drone attack began later.”
After India launched its most expansive cross-border strikes on terror bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, a flood of misinformation and false propaganda is being peddled from across the border by its influencers, media, as well as government-sponsored social media handles.
Several such videos have already been exposed by the team of the PIB since India’s military action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir began on May 7.
PIB has urged citizens to exercise caution and verify information before sharing it online.
“In times of heightened national security, misinformation can lead to unnecessary panic and confusion. Always rely on official sources for updates,” a PIB spokesperson stated.
The government has reiterated that disinformation campaigns, especially those involving doctored or unrelated media, pose a threat not only to public understanding but also to national morale.
The government officials have repeatedly told social media users that spreading false information, knowingly or unknowingly, may invite legal consequences under India’s cyber laws.
As ‘Operation Sindoor’ continues to unfold further with Indian Air Force strikes against Pakistan’s air defence system, the PIB and the Indian Armed Forces continue to stress the importance of verified information.
(IANS)