A militant strike on Pahalgam in Indian occupied Kashmir on April 22, 2025 became a tragic incident which killed innocent people and revived ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
This event transformed into an influential agenda point throughout Indian media channels in addition to Pakistani media outlets as well as international news publications.
The Indian media presented information about foreign security threats alongside calls for national protection measures yet Pakistani media disputed the claims while showing political reasons for Indian actions.
International news agencies took a balanced approach by emphasizing the importance of proof while warning both sides against increasing tensions in this situation.
This article evaluates different media depictions of the Pahalgam incident by analyzing their impact on the region’s stability and investigating responsible journalistic practices during conflicts.
After the Pahalgam attack occurred, Indian media houses insisted on the Indian government implementing conclusive strong measures.
Media houses believed that suspending the Indus Waters Treaty would act as a strategic tool to pressure Pakistan.
Many experts demanded stronger diplomatic policies as a response to include dramatic reductions in diplomatic relations coupled with active global campaigning to render Pakistan diplomatically isolated.
The recommendations emerged from widespread media content suggesting that the attack served as both a national security failure and an international geopolitical issue requiring decisive action.
Certain observers from Indian media sectors alongside commentators questioned the government’s actions by showing that security operations failed to stop the attack while security protocols remained elevated in the region.
Media houses in Pakistan rejected all Indian charges that arose after the Pahalgam attack with complete certainty.
News channels across Pakistan dismissed allegations of Pakistan’s involvement by describing such accusations as empty and politically stimulated allegations.
According to the narrative presented by Pakistani media the accusations India made were a scheme to distract from home issues while validating its aggressive Kashmir policies.
The Pakistani media highlighted that Pakistan has always fought terrorism while pointing out the government’s requirement for unbiased and transparent investigation of the Pahalgam attacks.
The media used this approach to present Pakistan as upholding its responsibilities while facing baseless attacks from hostile Indian propaganda.
India employed the attack as a media strategy to conceal domestic problems while building support for Kashmir strategy.
The media covered Pakistan’s diplomatic position which demanded objective investigation while supporting the battle against terror and striving for regional stability.
In American media they have been discussing India’s forceful accusations against Pakistan that led to diplomatic tension and the termination of the Indus Waters Treaty while Pakistan closed borders.
While there is no definitive proof could be attributed to Pakistani involvement in this attack.
News organization Reuters covered how the international world reacted to increasing tension between Pakistan and India as two countries possessing nuclear capabilities.
The United Kingdom government adamantly promoted both countries to exercise control over their actions while stressing direct negotiations needed to resolve the issue in Kashmir.
This analysis reveals how different media houses in India, Pakistan and international media provide distinct coverage about an event.
The Indian media concentrates on both national security and firm strategic action but Pakistani media exclusively reports denial tactics alongside counter-accusations.
International news outlets endorse calm action and demonstrate the far-reaching effects on the stability of the region.
All media platforms work under external influences which could be national interests or public opinions or editorial preferences.
The reporting of the Pahalgam attack through Indian and Pakistani media channels shows how deep political animosity exists between the two nations as well as deep-seated distrust.
The actual situation probably exists between these highly polarized descriptions.
What is needed most now is: An international investigation needs to be established for transparent fact-finding.
Reactionary provocation should end because it threatens regional peace.
The nations of India and Pakistan must rebuild their diplomatic relationships.
Regions desiring to halt future violence must break free from blame politics and fake propaganda to find solutions for the core reasons behind crises like these.
Violence-affected regions need to escape unproductive blame games with fake propaganda spread as this practice distracts from actual issues.
The techniques do not resolve mutual differences while diverting attention from core problems.
Sustainable peace requires every stakeholder to focus on determining and solving the root causes behind conflicts.
Honest cooperative solutions alone lead to stable outcomes in our future.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
