By Khalil Tasal
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the authoritarian officials of the Pakistani military regime invited some relatives of Pakistani soldiers killed along the so-called Durand Line to a gathering. During the event, after offering condolences to the father of one of the deceased soldiers, they presented him with his son’s military uniform and rank insignia in a glass and luxurious display box as a gift.
The poor and helpless father, after looking at this gift from the military regime, placed his hand on his forehead and collapsed on the spot. Soldiers gathered around him and began trying to console him, but his sobbing would not stop. Perhaps his conscience would not allow him to accept such a gift. His son had been killed in a war under the command of someone who bears both the shame and disgrace of this world, and he died under the slogans of the Pakistani army in a mission that, during the blessed month of Ramadan, led to the martyrdom of Afghan women, children, and elderly people.
This small example was circulated through Pakistani social media platforms and accounts, but the official media, operating under the censorship and supervision of the military regime, portray the situation as an example of a Pakistani’s sacrifice and patriotic sentiment. Since the day the aggressive actions by Pakistan and the retaliatory conflict by Afghanistan began between the two countries, extensive propaganda has also been launched through Pakistan’s national or official television channels and other media outlets.
The propaganda language used by these and other Pakistani media outlets is employed by so-called journalists and analysts who operate under the control of the Pakistani military’s Public Relations Office (ISPR). In exchange for money from the Pakistani army, they turn black into white and white into black.
They are busy around the clock throwing dust in the eyes of their own people, trying to portray that the military regime is justified in its attacks on Afghan territory. They claim that their strikes have targeted the TTP, leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), military centers, and military supplies, and that these were destroyed with precision. In reality, however, the invading Pakistani army, through its blind bombardments, gunfire, and attacks, has not only failed to hit its intended targets but has instead struck civilians. Among the examples are the family tragedy in Behsud of Nangarhar and the grieving households in Kunar. In addition, Afghan traders’ goods, businesses, and shops have not remained safe from the harm of Pakistani attacks, with recent examples seen in Spin Boldak.
The official and unofficial spokespersons of the Pakistani army are aware that their military, driven by the lure of foreign projects, trades in the lives of its own people and territory. So far, it has caused the martyrdom of hundreds of Afghan civilians and targeted public infrastructure. If they possessed any conscience, it might not allow them to ignore this reality. However, under the pressure of power and money, the military regime has not only led them to sell their media platforms, journalistic mission, and professional integrity, but has also burdened them with responsibility for the suffering of hundreds of Afghan families whose homes, camps, and livelihoods have been destroyed by the blind shells and bombardments of the Punjabi army.
Another major responsibility of Pakistani media and their associated social media networks is to conceal the outcomes of the Afghan security forces’ retaliatory “Rad al-Zulm” operations and present the situation as if nothing has happened. They even ignore the reports and clips published by some genuinely neutral international outlets such as Al Jazeera, Sky News, BBC, and other European broadcasters that expose the oppression and brutality of the military regime.
If Afghan media and media activists have used the term “Israeli army” for the Pakistani military regime, it is not without basis and is supported by recorded evidence. On the one hand, Pakistan itself has reportedly proposed to the United States that it would be ready to send troops to Gaza, in exchange for payment, to support Israel’s security and take part in operations against the people of Gaza.
On the other hand, the images of destroyed homes, streets, and residential areas in Afghanistan’s border regions, resulting from Pakistani airstrikes, where children, women, and the elderly appear covered in dust and blood, bear no difference from the scenes in Gaza. In both cases, the same kind of brutality is unfolding, and in many instances the military regime appears even more ruthless than its own patrons.
If Pakistan considers media freedom within the framework of its democracy as a source of strength, it should acknowledge that this strength is now collapsing under the weight of the injustices, crimes, and violations it has committed against its own people and its neighbors. Pakistan has neither truly free media nor independent and credible experts; rather, many of them are brigadiers or retired military officers who, after retirement, have been given projects for analysis and commentary in order to portray the army chief as a hero.
The head of the Pakistani military, who enjoys the personal backing of Trump and the ISI, has presented himself in the media as a regional and global strategic leader. According to former interim Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, “He is an important global figure from whom countries in the region should seek guidance in strategy and leadership!”
Although he presents himself as a Hafiz and a scholar of religion, Afghan experts have questioned his faith. In numerous gatherings, he has misrecited verses from the Holy Qur’an and misinterpreted them to justify the continuation and legitimacy of his own power.
Pakistani media, in turn, portray these traits as his “genius and intelligence” and repeatedly advertise the narrative that the Pakistani army is an Islamic army defending the Muslim world. This is truly laughable, as the army has always revolved around U.S. interests and dollars; it is a mercenary and contract army for foreigners with no real bravery in its history.
Shamelessly, Pakistani media and propaganda also claim that Afghanistan remains unstable. To support their claims, they cite either official statements from the military regime, fabricated press releases, or opinions and analyses from some former security officials of the republic who live in camps and have no real understanding of Afghanistan’s current situation.
Just as stone breaks stone, it is necessary for Afghan media to respond to these hollow propaganda campaigns. Committed Afghan journalists, social media activists, and writers must answer them by every possible means. Fortunately, they have so far done this very effectively, lifting the Afghan people out of the information vacuum and informing them of the legitimacy of Afghan defense forces and the crimes of the Pakistani military regime.