In a sharp display of mimicry, Pakistan replicated India’s every move after the devastating Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. When India went in for Operation Sindoor to destroy nine terror camps, Islamabad sought to emulate India’s military and diplomatic stance point-for-point.
From Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to troops to replicating bans on YouTube channels, Pakistan emulated India almost step-by-step. The trend indicates not only a reactive foreign policy but a coordinated attempt to change its global image—by emulating its neighbour.
The Victory Lap: Photo-ops with soldiers
PM Narendra Modi went to Adampur Air Base in Punjab following the successful completion of Operation Sindoor. There, he met with soldiers and took widely shared photos. The next day, Shehbaz Sharif went to Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot and took similar shots with Pakistani soldiers.
Interestingly, Adampur was among the bases Pakistan had falsely asserted to have targeted using Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. But India’s S-400 missile system at Adampur is visuals that dispel those claims.
Treaties on hold
Following the verification of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba’s connection to the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 tourists’ lives, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty. The 1960 treaty had regulated water sharing in six rivers. Pakistan termed the action an “act of war”.
Islamabad, in retaliation, suspended all bilateral treaties with India, including the Simla Agreement and the nuclear safety agreement.
High-level security meetings: CCS vs NSC
India’s PM had convened a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting immediately following the attack. Pakistan’s government followed suit, convening its National Security Committee (NSC) shortly afterward. The terminology and statements that followed mirrored India’s behavior, outrightly demonstrating Pakistan’s reactive approach.
On April 30th, PM Modi gave Indian troops complete liberty to decide the time, manner, and target of response. Barely days after, Pakistan’s NSC empowered its army to respond at a “time, place, and manner of their choice.” Sharif employed the very words when he met senior brass.
Copy-paste media bans
India blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including prominent channels such as Dawn and Geo News, for disseminating disinformation. Pakistan followed suit on May 7, blocking 16 Indian YouTube channels and 32 websites. Even the figures matched.
From describing its retaliation as “precise and restrained” to mimicking India’s diplomatic parlance, Pakistan’s leadership and military replicated the narrative pattern of India. In spite of this, Pakistan could not conceal the fact that it had struck Indian civilian infrastructure.
Pakistan’s mimicry is more than a sign of insecurity. It is an indication of the lack of innovative strategy in the light of India’s stern and measured reaction. The issue now is—how long can Pakistan sustain this farce without losing face?
