In the fragile theatre of geopolitics, perception is often more potent than missiles, and narratives are crafted long before the smoke of any skirmish clears. Nowhere is this more visible than in the way India commands its media machinery, shaping global opinion with the precision of a seasoned strategist. On the other side of the border, Pakistan’s media appears caught in a loop—always a step behind, always responding, rarely leading. The most recent episode in this ongoing saga came with former Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik’s damning comment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lacked the courage to go to war. For Indian media, this was raw material to stoke war hysteria, to flex muscles for domestic audiences, to feed the illusion of dominance.
Yet in Pakistan, the reaction was tragically telling. The clip was seized upon gleefully, paraded across television channels, reposted across social media platforms, and celebrated as though it were a diplomatic coup. But behind the chuckles and the headlines, reality offered a colder reminder. India, in the very same breath, had already advanced its agenda, crossing lines both geographical and military. While we made memes and traded press statements, Indian missiles were not just testing the limits—they were making statements in the sky, with intent and purpose. And here lies the deeper, more troubling issue. In our obsession with Indian narratives, we have allowed ourselves to become mere amplifiers of another country’s agenda.
The core failure is not just one of communication—it is a national security lapse camouflaged in broadcast negligence. Media houses, obsessed with reactive journalism, missed the forest for the trees. The story was never about what Malik said. The real story was India’s encroachment, its readiness to back rhetoric with movement, and our corresponding silence on how that line was crossed. Pakistan’s military, a force respected globally for its professionalism and fortitude, deserves better than to be propped up by viral tweets and press conference bravado. If, as some quarters claim, Indian aircraft were downed during recent incidents, then show us the evidence. Share the debris. Present the captured. Do not make the world rely on patriotic assertions and cinematic monologues. In the age of high-definition wars and satellite intelligence, credibility lies in proof—not passion.
There is an urgent need to recognize the danger in outsourcing our national pride to the echo chambers of reactionary media. Our television panels, filled with loud voices and louder claims, create the illusion of control while ceding ground in the real battle for narrative power. Every time we allow Indian headlines to dictate our tone, we fall into a trap of their making. This isn’t strategy. This is surrender dressed as commentary. Even more worrying is the blind faith placed in external allies, especially the presumed intervention of China should conflict with India escalate. It is a dangerous fantasy—one that confuses strategic alignment with unconditional loyalty. China’s global interests are vast, and its priorities do not always intersect neatly with Pakistan’s. Hoping for Chinese intervention every time tensions rise is not diplomacy. It is wishful thinking bordering on strategic negligence.
The defence of our sovereignty cannot be subcontracted out to another superpower. This is our fight, and our alone. It is only through clarity of thought and independence of policy that Pakistan can navigate such perilous waters. What the country needs now is a media that reports, not reacts. One that asks hard questions, not just of the enemy, but of ourselves. Why did our air defences fail to detect or prevent an incursion? Where were the institutional protocols that should have activated the moment the line of control was breached? And why, despite years of tension, do we still appear surprised every time India takes an aggressive stance? There is a deeper lesson buried in this cycle of reaction. As long as we continue to celebrate moments that only mirror India’s chaos rather than challenge it with substance, we will remain hostage to their framing.
The world’s sympathy does not lie with the loudest narrative, but the most consistent and credible one. And credibility cannot be built on selective outrage or reactionary patriotism. It must be cultivated through truth, evidence, and unshakable resolve. The Pakistani media must remember that it is not just a mirror reflecting national sentiment—it is a megaphone, an institution with the power to shape opinion, both domestically and abroad. Its failure to do so responsibly has consequences far beyond ratings and retweets. In moments of crisis, the world listens closely. What it hears from us matters. So let us put an end to this unhealthy obsession with India’s shadow. Let us stop measuring our strength through their weaknesses. Let us build a discourse that stands on its own feet—fortified by facts, powered by purpose. Let us treat national security not as a trending topic, but as a solemn responsibility. The war of perception, if fought right, is half the battle won. But to win it, we must first find our own voice—and use it not to echo, but to lead.
