In a move that has raised eyebrows globally, the Pakistan Army has announced the awarding of the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of the nation's highest civilian and military honors, to Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. He will receive this accolade for his involvement in 'Operation Sindoor' during the latest India-Pakistan standoff.
Tarar's activities extend beyond digital propaganda. On June 23, he attended a public event named Bunyan al-Marsus in Pakistan, where terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba were honored, including Qari Yaqub Sheikh, who is on the US sanctions list and is close to Hafiz Saeed's son Talha Saeed, and Lashkar commander Saifullah Kasuri, a conspirator of the Pahalgam terror attack. Sheikh is also accused of plotting a suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Srinagar in 2013 and threatening the Indian Prime Minister.
Ban Lifted on X to Amplify Propaganda
Notably, on May 7, when India-Pakistan tensions peaked, Islamabad abruptly lifted the 15-month ban on X (formerly Twitter). This led to a surge of Pakistan-supported accounts that began disseminating anti-India propaganda discreetly among returning Pakistani users.
Digital Realm Flooded with False Content
From the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April to India's counter-actions, the Pakistani propaganda machine presented old Indonesian videos, images from the Ukraine-Russia war, and footage from the 2023 Moscow fire incident as Indian air defense strikes.
Defense analysts suggest this was not just a typical social media frenzy but an organized digital theater aimed at diverting attention away from Pakistan's terrorist affiliations and fabricating stories of false military victories.
Military Honor for Propaganda Campaign
Tarar, who emerged as a pivotal figure in this media campaign, is being honored by the Pakistan Army for presenting Pakistan's stance to the international community. Press Information Officer Mubashar Hassan has also been nominated.
Propaganda as State Policy
It should be noted that the Sitara-i-Imtiaz is typically awarded on March 23 (Pakistan Day) each year, but information officers have rarely been recognized for crafting deceptive war narratives. This year's nominations signify Islamabad's view of propaganda as a crucial weapon in conflict.
