THE geopolitical landscape of South Asia remains one of the most volatile in the world, marred by historical animosities and persistent regional tensions.
Amid this fragile context, India has once again resorted to an all-too-familiar playbook: levelling unfounded accusations of a false flag operation against Pakistan.
This recycled narrative not only seeks to dis-tract from India’s internal political unrest but also aims to manipulate international opinion and tarnish Pakistan’s image on the global stage.
This latest episode unfolded as Pakistan’s top political and military leadership was engaged in a high-level diplomatic and defence visit to Turkey—a trusted ally.
Seizing the moment, India launched a fresh wave of propaganda, accusing Pakistan of orchestrating cross-border aggression.
However, Islamabad responded promptly and decisively, reiterating its commitment to peace while forcefully rejecting the baseless allegations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in an unequivocal statement, called out India’s claims as “blatant lies” and urged the international community to see through New Delhi’s deception.
“Pakistan remains a staunch advocate for peace and consistently abides by international law,” he asserted.
“India’s actions threaten regional stability and we will make it unequivocally clear that Pakistan’s sovereignty, its defence and the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people are non-negotiable.
” Echoing the Prime Minister’s sentiments, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar vowed to expose India’s malicious propaganda and reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled foreign policy.
“These false accusations reflect not just India’s internal turmoil but also its habitual scapegoating of Pakistan for political mileage,” he noted.
Dar underscored Pakistan’s intention to bring the truth before global forums such as the United Nations.
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir, was equally resolute, dismissing India’s assertions and reaffirming Pakistan’s defensive posture.
“Pakistan has never har-boured intentions of aggression.
Our military is fully capable of defending the nation and will respond proportionately to any provocation,” he stated.
“India’s fabrications not only threaten bilateral relations but also endanger the peace of the entire region.
” Military strategists and seasoned diplomats have echoed this view.
Retired generals Talat Masood, Naeem Khalid Lodhi and Asim Saleem Bajwa, among other defence analysts, characterized India’s tactics as a continuation of its “Repeat Strategy”—a pattern of fabricating threats from Pakistan during times of domestic political strain or upcoming elections.
Veteran diplomats have also criticized these manoeuvres as violations of UN principles and detrimental to long-term regional peace.
India’s attempt to link the group “The Resistance Front” (TRF) to Pakistan is yet another ex-tension of this disinformation campaign.
Evidence increasingly suggests that TRF is a crea-tion of Indian intelligence services—used to discredit Pakistan in international bodies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Despite growing scrutiny and criticism from global watchdogs, India continues to promote this narrative in a bid to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.
India’s history of orchestrating false flag operations is well-documented.
Incidents such as Pathankot, Uri and Pulwama, followed by the Balakot airstrike, were marred by inconsistencies and lacked credible evidence.
These crises were often exposed by Indian opposition leaders and journalists as politically motivated fabrications.
India’s belligerence has now extended to the Indus Waters Treaty—one of the few enduring pacts since 1960.
Having withstood three wars, India’s recent moves to undermine the treaty raise the alarming prospect of a “Water War,” posing a severe threat to regional stability.
The international community must act to prevent such escalation.
Tensions have also heightened along the Line of Control due to India’s intensified military activities.
This appears to be an effort to normalize the unconstitutional revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which stripped Indian-Occupied Kashmir of its special status.
How-ever, the Kashmiri people’s resolve for self-determination remains strong.
In stark contrast, Pakistan upholds diplomacy, dialogue and international law.
Its leadership, military and public remain united in defending national integrity while promoting peace.
Pakistan also holds credible evidence of Indian involvement in fomenting unrest in Balochistan and Karachi—clear acts of state-sponsored terrorism.
India’s broader aim is to crush the Kashmiri resistance and pursue regional hegemony.
Pakistan, however, continues to raise these concerns on international platforms, underscoring the threat India poses to South Asian peace.
The killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada has further damaged India’s im-age.
Once lauded as the world’s largest democracy, India is increasingly viewed as a rogue state.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is emerging as a responsible actor committed to peace, minority rights and international norms.
India’s democratic façade, particularly regarding Kashmir, has crumbled.
The unilateral revocation of Kashmir’s status violated international agreements and Kashmiri rights.
Pakistan remains firm: the Kashmir issue must be resolved transparently and fairly, respecting the will of its people.
India’s aggressive behaviour is a threat to global peace.
The world must act.
Pakistan, meanwhile, will persist in its principled struggle—committed to sovereignty, justice and the Kashmiri cause.
—The writer is a political analyst, commentator on South Asian affairs and former Member of the AJK Council.
