Pakistan Using Disinformation to Deflect From Human Rights Violations: India

India on Tuesday launched a strong attack on Pakistan, accusing it of spreading misinformation and disinformation to divert attention from its domestic problems and alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Speaking at the Ministry of External Affairs' weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was attempting to mask its internal shortcomings through the circulation of false narratives and fabricated content.

"We continue to witness a pattern of fake news and manipulated videos originating from Pakistan. This is a desperate effort to conceal its own failures and shift attention away from its human rights abuses," Jaiswal said.

The MEA spokesperson also expressed concern over reports emerging from PoJK, where protests over economic difficulties, governance issues and access to essential services have reportedly led to clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Referring to media reports, Jaiswal alleged that several protesters had been killed and many others injured during crackdowns by authorities.

"There are reports of severe police brutality in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in which several protesters have lost their lives and many have been injured," he said. "We hope the international community will take note of these developments and hold Pakistan accountable for its actions."

#WATCH | Delhi | Responding to ANIs question on protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We continue to see in this context, a pattern of fake news and videos emanating from Pakistan. It is a desperate attempt by Pakistan to cover up its own… pic.twitter.com/mgP3qC5M55

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2026

Recent reports indicate that demonstrations have taken place across parts of PoJK over soaring inflation, increased electricity tariffs, governance concerns and demands for greater political representation. The unrest has reportedly resulted in casualties and injuries following confrontations with security personnel.

In a separate development, India also criticised Pakistan at the United Nations over its use of the term "Fitna al Hindustan" to describe militant groups operating within its territory.

Addressing a United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, rejected Pakistan's allegations that such groups receive support from India.

Harish said Pakistan's decision to officially direct government agencies to refer to these groups as "Fitna al Hindustan" amounted to state-sponsored misinformation cloaked in religious language.

"Pakistan issuing official notifications and instructing its agencies to describe groups within its own borders as 'Fitna al Hindustan' is nothing more than officially sponsored misinformation and disinformation dressed up in religious terminology," he said.

The Indian envoy argued that the narrative was aimed at diverting attention from Pakistan's political and economic challenges and characterised it as part of an organised campaign of hostility.

Harish also criticised Pakistan's military operations in Afghanistan, raising concerns over civilian casualties resulting from cross-border strikes.

"Presenting a massacre as a military operation does not absolve the perpetrator. Killing, injuring and orphaning civilians cannot be justified as counter-terrorism," he said.

He further asserted that Pakistan has a long-standing tendency to blame neighbouring countries for its internal difficulties instead of addressing the root causes of its challenges.

With inputs from ANI