A nation which thrives and promotes fake narratives suffers the consequences of its own delusions.

Did Pakistan win the perception war in its recent conflict with India, which not only grabbed world attention but was unprecedented because of the overt military support from China?

This was one of the questions raised early this month during the inauguration of the Centre for National Security Studies (CNSS) at the Pune International Centre (PIC), attended by several serving and retired military officers, strategic studies scholars and thinkers.

Weaponisation of information is extremely critical for a nation engaged in a war situation. Information warfare is the effective management, manipulation and dissemination of convenient truths, half-truths and falsehoods through the organs of mass media to influence national and international opinion, generate support, whip up passions, boost national morale and influence journalists.

On multiple counts, Pakistan succeeded in its information warfare. Against India’s charge that Pakistan has been a habitual promoter of terrorism and was responsible for the Pahalgam attack in which 26 innocent persons were killed in cold blood, Pakistan pleaded that it has itself been a victim of terrorism and that the terrorist organisations were not in its control. It demanded evidence to show Pakistani involvement.

It once again raised the nuclear bomb bogey, telling the world that India and Pakistan were nuclear states and anything........

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