Amid heightened tensions following Operation Sindoor, a striking contrast has emerged between India’s clear military communication and Pakistan’s faltering response. Indian Navy officials confidently asserted operational superiority, while Pakistan’s attempt to project strength backfired after it used a doctored image during a high-profile press briefing.
Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, speaking at a joint briefing, declared that the Indian Navy had successfully “locked down Karachi,” with forward-deployed forces maintaining “an aggressive and decisive posture” in the Arabian Sea. The statement marked a firm assertion of control following India’s retaliatory campaign against terror camps in Pakistan.
Pakistan Resorts to Fabricated Imagery
In response, the Pakistani military hastily convened its own press conference, hoping to reassure its public and counter India’s narrative. Senior officials, including Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed and Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz, claimed their forces were fully mobilized across air, land, and sea.
WATCH THE VIRAL PHOTO:
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???????? ???? Not Only Used Old Picture But Also Morphed SubMarine in the Picture :
War narrative is being won by edited images & the disinfo is being sold to Pakistani publicOrg Photo Link :https://t.co/VRcNqVmMaS#IndiaPakistanWar… pic.twitter.com/H3Zm9W7H7z
— Balochistan Facts (@balochistanfact) May 12, 2025
Vice Admiral Nawaz presented a striking image, allegedly showing two warships, a submarine, and three aircraft in active deployment, calling it evidence of Pakistan’s naval preparedness. But the move backfired almost immediately.
Image Traced Back to 2023 Naval Drill with China
Investigations revealed that the image was not from a recent operation but a recycled and digitally altered photograph from a December 2023 joint naval exercise with China. The original image had appeared in a Radio Pakistan article titled “Naval Chief lauds achievements of operations objectives by Pakistan Navy” and was taken during the Fleet Annual Efficiency Competition Parade in Karachi.
While the original image showed Chinese and Pakistani warships with three P-3C Orion aircraft overhead, the version presented at the press conference was edited to include a submarine that had not been present during the original drill.
Misinformation Surge After Pahalgam Attack
This incident is the latest in a wave of misinformation following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. Since India’s military responded with strikes on terror camps, official statements and media from Pakistan have increasingly relied on misleading visuals and narratives.
The doctored image incident underscores a growing credibility crisis within the Pakistani military, as it struggles to maintain public confidence amid strategic pressure from India.
