- By Abdul Hannan
For decades, India has waged a dual-front war against Pakistan — one at the borders, and the other in the battlefield of narratives. While the former is visible and acknowledged, the latter is far more insidious, built upon misinformation, twisted rhetoric, and weaponized media campaigns. The latest victim of this psychological offensive is Dr. Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi, a respected Pakistani political figure, youth leader, and General Secretary of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (Lahore).
On the solemn occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer — the day Pakistan emerged as the seventh nuclear power — Dr. Hashmi delivered a powerful speech in Gujranwala, directly addressing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his words
Modi! You try to scare Pakistani youth with bullets. But these are the very youth who, shoulder to shoulder, launched missiles in Operation Bunyān al-Marsūs. Your bullets cannot break the spirit of those who have already sacrificed their lives for their homeland.”
This statement, aimed at igniting national pride and honoring Pakistan’s military resilience, triggered a coordinated backlash from Indian media. In a matter of hours, multiple outlets in India twisted his remarks, removed context, and launched a character assassination campaign against him.
Disinformation in the Service of Denial
Rather than engage with the deeper implications of Pakistan’s strategic and psychological deterrence, Indian news channels chose to label Dr. Hashmi a “militant sympathizer” and “radical voice.” The absurdity of such claims is only matched by their consistency. This is not a one-off attack; it is part of a long-established pattern by Indian media — a pattern that seeks to silence voices that challenge its hegemonic and militaristic narrative.
Whether it is the brutal suppression of truth in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, or the Delegitimization of Sikh voices seeking justice through the Khalistan movement, India’s media ecosystem has often operated not as an objective observer, but as a state-embedded propaganda engine.
In Dr. Muzamil Hashmi’s case, this campaign is nothing more than political censorship disguised as journalism. It aims to marginalize those who unmask India’s covert operations in Balochistan, where multiple independent and Pakistani sources have long implicated India in fueling unrest through proxies.
The Real Threat: Truth-Tellers
The reason India feels threatened by figures like Dr. Muzammil Hashmi isn’t because they incite violence — they don’t. It’s because they inspire resistance through ideas. Dr. Hashmi’s message resonates with a generation of Pakistanis who are politically aware, nationally conscious, and unwilling to accept regional bullying under the guise of democracy.
In truth, the Indian state doesn’t fear guns. It fears narratives. It fears that someone might remind the world about Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian Navy officer caught red-handed operating a terrorist network in Pakistan. It fears that someone might remind the world of India’s decades-long effort to label Pakistan as a “terror state” while it runs covert destmissions in South Asia.
So when a Pakistani leader confidently states, “We are not afraid of bullets”, the Indian media hears a threat. But what they are hearing is a rupture in the monopoly of narrative.
A Call to International Media and Rights Organizations
This case isn’t just about one person. It is about defending the sanctity of truth and the dignity of national voices. If we allow global disinformation networks to trample every voice of resistance in Pakistan, then what remains of free speech, press freedom, and the right to national dignity?
We call upon:
International media watchdogs to review Indian media practices
Human rights organizations to recognize the systematic targeting of Pakistani voices
Pakistani journalists, writers, and digital platforms to amplify counter-narratives rooted in truth
Conclusion
Dr. Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi stands not only as a political leader but also as a symbol of intellectual resistance. His courage to speak truth to power — even in the face of regional media manipulation — reflects the unyielding spirit of a new generation of Pakistanis.
To attack him is to attack the very idea of a sovereign Pakistan. But as history has shown time and again, when lies are loud, the truth must be more audible.
