From battlefield to narrative front, Pakistan emerged victorious: Tarar

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2026) Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday said Pakistan successfully countered India’s false narrative during Marka-e-Haq and the May War through national unity, coordinated state response, responsible media conduct and timely dissemination of factual information at the global level.

Addressing a seminar titled “Marka-e-Haq: Victory in the Battlefield & Beyond” at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, the minister said Pakistan had always believed in peace and the war was imposed upon the country despite its consistent role as a frontline state against terrorism.

He said Pakistan had acted as a shield between terrorists and the rest of the world, adding that India’s narrative suffered from internalizing its external issues and externalizing its internal issues.

The minister said terrorism in India was an internal matter while the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was an internationally recognized issue backed by United Nations Security Council resolutions granting the Kashmiri people the right to self-determination.

Referring to the Pahalgam incident, Attaullah Tarar termed it another example of a false flag operation aimed at creating a baseless narrative against Pakistan.

He said there were several inconsistencies in the Indian narrative from the very beginning, noting that an FIR was registered within ten minutes of the incident without any investigation or inquiry while allegations were immediately levelled against Pakistan.

The minister questioned how India could claim cross-border involvement when the Line of Control was over 100 kilometers away from the Pahalgam site and no movement had been detected.

He said Pakistan’s narrative gained strength because all state institutions were aligned and worked with a unified objective of presenting the truth effectively at the right forum and at the right time.

The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave a major boost to Pakistan’s narrative when he offered a fair, transparent and an independent investigation into the Pahalgam incident during his address at PMA academy Kakul.

He said one year had passed since that offer but India had not responded because Pakistan knew the allegations were baseless and India avoided an impartial investigation.

Attaullah Tarar said India further weakened its position globally by attacking innocent civilians in Pakistan on the pretext of the incident.

He said he had led delegations of local and international journalists to sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including Bela Noor Shah, where India had alleged the presence of terrorist camps, to expose its false accusations.

The minister said Pakistan had also planned visits to Muridke and Bahawalpur for journalists before Indian attacks took place.

He said Pakistan acted within its rights under the United Nations Charter by responding in a firm and decisive manner.

Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan actively engaged international media during the conflict because the country had “a lot to tell the world” regarding its sacrifices and counter-terrorism efforts.

Highlighting Pakistan’s sacrifices, he said more than 90,000 Pakistanis had laid down their lives while the country had suffered hundreds of billions of Dollars in economic losses in the fight against terrorism.

“How can a country combating terrorism be blamed for terrorism?” he asked.

The minister also referred to transnational assassinations linked to India, including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, and assassination plots in other countries.

He said Pakistan had substantial evidence to support its position and cited the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan as proof of Indian involvement in destabilizing activities.

Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan’s task in the narrative domain was to present the truth effectively before the world and the country succeeded in doing so.

<?php /*?> <?php */?>

Criticizing sections of the Indian media, he said Indian channels indulged in “war hysteria” and made absurd claims during the May War.

He contrasted that with the conduct of Pakistani media, academia and intelligentsia, saying Pakistani media outlets, analysts, reporters and social media users presented authentic, verified and factual information that could not be contradicted internationally.

The minister said there was complete unanimity and uninterrupted flow of information between state institutions and the private media sector during the conflict.

Praising the younger generation, he said Pakistani Gen Z played a remarkable role during the war through a “meme war” on social media.

He said while missiles and bombs were flying, Pakistani youth responded with creativity on digital platforms, surprising the enemy and strengthening Pakistan’s narrative globally.

Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan remained at the “top of its game” in the narrative, diplomatic and conventional warfare domains because it had truth on its side and effectively communicated it to the world.

He said India continued making mistakes that exposed its nefarious designs, while Pakistan’s unity at every level helped strengthen its position.

The minister paid tribute to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for his leadership during the conflict and said Pakistan’s response lifted the morale of the nation.

He said Pakistan targeted military installations while India had attacked civilians.

The minister said Pakistan Air Force demonstrated its dominance during aerial engagements, stating Indian Rafale aircraft brought down during the conflict shattered Indian arrogance and highlighted Pakistan’s indigenous technological capabilities.

He added that Pakistan Navy remained fully alert and prepared to counter any aggression.

Calling Marka-e-Haq a victory of the entire nation, Attaullah Tarar said the people of Pakistan stood united above political differences and supported the armed forces and government during the conflict.

He said his work in the narrative domain became easier because Pakistan was presenting “hard facts” and telling the truth to the world.

Recalling the initial Indian strikes in Bahawalpur and Muridke, the minister said he reached the ministry’s newly established state-of-the-art digital communication department within 20 minutes to brief international media regarding the situation.

He said Pakistan played all its cards correctly from the Pahalgam incident to the aftermath of Marka-e-Haq and received strong support from the Pakistani people.

The minister said Pakistan had earned global respect during the year following the success of Marka-e-Haq and emerged as a serious and responsible country at the international level.

He said Pakistan’s leadership was widely respected globally while the world increasingly recognized Pakistan’s talent, relevance and significance.

Contrasting Pakistan’s position with India’s, he said India spent hundreds of billions of dollars on lobbying and public relations campaigns but moved “from shining to isolation” within one year because its narrative was based on propaganda and falsehood.

Attaullah Tarar said attempts to impose regional hegemony and behave like a bully in South Asia could never succeed.

He said Marka-e-Haq was a moment of pride for the nation and a reminder to remain grateful to Almighty Allah, expressing hope that Pakistan would continue to prosper and its people would continue to take pride in their country.

The seminar was attended by Chairman board of Governors ISSI Ambassador (Retd) Khalid Mahmood, former foreign minister Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, former Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal (Retd) Farooq Habib, strategic analyst Ahmad Hasan Al Arbi, Khurram Abbas and other distinguished participants.