Pakistan-India Tensions and the Comedy of Indian Media

Viewers, we will share with you the important news that has happened in the last twelve hours regarding the tension between Pakistan and India—what the current situation is on the border, how far this war narrative has progressed, and an overall analysis of the situation. You’ve seen the thumbnail, and by now you must’ve realized that this feels more like a comedy show. For the first time, I feel like I’m hosting a comedy segment. The situation that has emerged between India and Pakistan and the antics of Indian media last night have pushed the boundaries of absurdity.

Frankly, I believe that Narendra Modi should now consider making peace with Pakistan—not because of diplomacy or strategic sense, but because of how the Indian media embarrassed itself last night. In my 18–19 years of journalism, I’ve never witnessed anything as ludicrous as what unfolded. It wasn’t journalism—it was sheer buffoonery. The whole spectacle looked like a bad Johnny Lever film. That’s how far this story has come.

Let me explain what exactly happened and why they did it. This is where India Today’s official Twitter account comes in. Around 9:10–10:30 PM, they tweeted that they had shot down one F-16 and two JF-17s from Pakistan using missiles, claiming the action took place in Rajasthan and Punjab. They even went as far as saying a Pakistani drone was shot down near Jamhur’s civil airport. It was like an action movie playing out on Indian television, except none of it was real.

The Spiral of Fake News and Hysteria

India Today further tweeted that Pakistan itself had confirmed the downing of the jets—this was entirely fabricated. What’s sad is that respected journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai, once held in high regard even in Pakistan, were participating in this circus. Last night, Indian journalists stripped themselves of any credibility they once had. They went so deep into lies and deceit that the global journalism community will think twice before taking them seriously again.

Zee News jumped into the frenzy too, broadcasting in Hindi that Karachi port had been attacked and more than ten explosions had occurred. I called my own son, who is in Karachi, and asked him if he was okay. He laughed and said he was just out eating with friends—biryani, not bombs. The entire chaos that Indian media created about Karachi was entirely fictional. Then TV9 joined the party, claiming Baloch terrorists attacked Quetta, a naval base in Karachi was hit, and Sialkot and an important location in Islamabad were under fire. They painted a picture where even birds couldn’t enter Pakistani airspace undetected, yet supposedly the Indian forces were having a field day.

Republic TV added its usual venom. Arnab Goswami’s channel claimed there was a massive explosion near the Prime Minister’s residence and that Shahbaz Sharif had “gone to the dogs.” They even declared Quetta had fallen into the hands of rebels. Times Now reported that the Indian army had entered Pakistan, and Major Gaurav Arya called for the Indian Navy to destroy Karachi with BrahMos missiles, claiming, “Tonight is the night of doomsday for Pakistan.” At this point, it wasn’t journalism—it was a Bollywood war fantasy.

Ridiculous Claims and a Challenge to Visit Pakistan

All this unfolded within a few short hours. As dawn broke and sanity returned, even some Indian viewers began realizing it had all been a massive prank. But until then, Major Gaurav Arya kept making wild declarations. I openly invite him to Pakistan—get your visa, buy your ticket, and come. I’ll sponsor your stay, provide maximum security, and take you wherever you want to go. Pick any city on the map—I’ll take you there. But you need the courage to visit the very place you’ve been spreading lies about.

Then we come to Vikrant Gupta, the same sports journalist who was warmly welcomed during the Champions Trophy in Lahore. Last night, he was airing transcriptions claiming that India had raided Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. I am now exposing these faces because they need to be held accountable for fueling hysteria and misinformation. Our past friendships and journalism ties with Indian counterparts once had mutual respect. On festivals, we exchanged greetings. But what they did last night was disgraceful and dangerous.

Ethics, Exaggeration, and Manufactured Hysteria

There should be some fear of God in journalism. But these Indian anchors have gone beyond ethics. Their actions during the PAEC summit, their political connections, and the lies they fabricated last night about Karachi being attacked are unforgivable. Barkha Dutt joined the madness, tweeting claims of capturing a Pakistani pilot just like Abhinandan. They’re still haunted by the memory of that incident. But even Barkha had to admit later that the Pakistani Foreign Minister denied such a capture. They aired it anyway, ignoring the truth.

On a lighter note, if you have captured a Pakistani pilot again, please don’t pose him in a “rifle-ready” position—it’s a disaster. Our and their aircraft do patrol near each other, but an interesting fact often ignored is the distance maintained during these patrols. Their aircraft stay 200–250 kilometers away from ours. Why? Because of our BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile capability, our PL-15 missiles can hit targets up to 220 kilometers away. They don’t come close because they know they’ll be shot down.

Let me clarify once again: No Pakistani jets were shot down, no pilots were captured, and no attacks happened in Karachi, Quetta, Sialkot, or Islamabad. Even PM House was untouched. Indian media even broadcast fake news that General Asim Munir had been dismissed—this was yet another fabrication. What Indian media unleashed last night was nothing short of a sewage drain overflowing with lies, and every anchor joined in.

Indian Journalists Turning on Their Own Narrative

Now, as people realize they’ve been fed a pack of lies, backlash is emerging. Indian journalist Manisha Pandey posted critical remarks, and even GD Bakshi—famous for his anti-Pakistan rants—admitted that media should not become hysterical. He, too, recognized that Indian media had sunk to an all-time low last night.