In present-day warfare, the most significant source of power is information. In a world filled with the internet and multiple forms of digital communication, any media outlet provides more than just a record of what has happened; it is involved in creating the social reality that we encounter every day. The only way to understand how this happens, especially in South Asia, is to analyse the media narrative through the lens of non-Western perspectives that underscore social, religious and cultural diversity. The new sources of internal and external threats that our modern-day states are facing from various individual groups have created a complex situation for every nation in determining its place internationally, as no state can any longer judge its position solely on material capabilities. In fact, as evidenced by the manner in which media affects the way we view global events and shape the outcome of political decisions, media power operates as an equal player to that of physical or material governments.

Since independence from the British Empire, Pakistan has had to navigate a labyrinth of geopolitical frameworks that are significantly influenced by both internal and external factors. Difficult and limited resources, along with significant instability in the region, have forced Pakistan to be cautious in dealing with international affairs. The emergence of Cold War 2.0 between the US and China has added to this complexity and complicated Pakistan’s strategic decision-making regarding foreign policy choices. However, in 2025, Pakistan illustrated diplomatic achievement by maintaining a hybrid foreign policy with both Washington and China. In this context of a new strategic outlook, Pakistan has an opportunity, through its deliberate manifestation of a strategic narrative, to enhance its diplomatic standing and promote its national interests.

In Pakistan, cultivating sustainable peace is essential for achieving economic revival and increasing diplomatic credibility at the international level. Digital media’s growth in the volume of communication has democratised expression and allowed diverse voices to engage in public discourse. A by-product of such instant access has been an increase in polarisation, misinformation, and social fragmentation. Consequently, the media’s mediation of reality through its content influences public perception and contextual understanding of events. A wide array of empirical data demonstrates that media content can affect how audiences process information and form opinions about it, thereby framing the media consumer’s understanding of reality in ways that can either promote social cohesion or increase the level of societal division.

Strategic narrative is a tool used by states as a means to show context to the security environment and create policies in order to achieve peace. There are three interlinked levels in which strategic narratives operate — international, national, and issue-specific. The creation of narratives that use media plays an important role in how a state will be understood at home or abroad. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a classic example of competing actors using strategically developed narratives to defend their military or political actions to an international audience. Strategically constructed narratives must be made with a sophisticated understanding of the domestic landscape, regional context and systemic pressures. In Pakistan, maintaining a continuous level of engagement between all major players is necessary in order to develop a cohesive, supportive format for discussing strategic narratives. The formulation of such narratives should ideally be an all-of-government endeavour; however, narrative constructs exist throughout many forms of media and are, as such, an important means of communicating with society as a whole. Narratives serve as a means of bringing together a collective identity and shaping people’s opinions on complex political, social, and security issues.

Current digital technologies are providing new ways to tell stories, but they create significant obstacles to keeping them coherent with one another. Factors such as artificial intelligence-generated (AI) content, deepfakes, algorithmic amplification of information, and organised efforts at disinformation can make it increasingly difficult to produce and share credible narratives. In this environment, where digital media narratives are often used to ensure national strategy and overall security goals are aligned, the connection between digital media governance and national security is becoming much clearer; therefore, the need for foresight in regulating these digital media environments and for institutional coordination related to regulatory oversight is becoming much greater. Well-developed fictional and non-fictional narratives may be effective in conveying the realities within Pakistan and the country’s policy goals if created in a responsible manner. Documentaries and films are an important part of developing a national story, as documentaries develop into a collective cultural memory for societies. Documentaries that showcase examples of state actions that have reduced the escalation of conflict, countered extremism or built social resilience should all be produced. In addition, digital media outlets have the potential to positively affect post-conflict environments by drawing attention to the work being done by law enforcement agencies, civil society, and humanitarian organisations to promote reconciliation and peacebuilding.

The promotion of media literacy as a foundational element of strategic narrative articulation is equally important. As digital platforms rise to prominence over legacy media, the ability to critically evaluate information, verify sources, and recognise manipulative framing is essential. Educational institutions must lead in organising workshops, seminars and curricular responses on media literacy. These types of initiatives will be especially helpful for younger generations — particularly Gen Alpha and Gen Beta — who are being raised in a world that is inundated with algorithmically driven content and hybrid threats to their information intake. There is a dramatic reshaping of the regional and global political landscape as alliances shift, power centres evolve, and geopolitical competition intensifies, affecting the range of strategic choices available to states. In a rapidly changing political environment, it is crucial that states successfully construct a compelling strategic narrative that represents their national identity and embodies policy coherence in international relations. In today’s world of competing narratives, the use of non-kinetic instruments has been elevated to a position of centrality, as they lend legitimacy to rules of engagement and state actions. To achieve effective narratives, Pakistan must institutionalise strategic communication through the systematic production and distribution of credible, coherent, and culturally resonant multimedia content that aligns with national objectives.

Zaid Bin InamThe writer is an academic and faculty member at NUML, Islamabad.

© The Nation