ISLAMABAD: An international media controversy erupted after Sky News removed a report and social media post claiming that Afghanistan had carried out an “airstrike” on Pakistan.
According to details, the broadcaster first shared the claim through its official social media account and later aired a report alleging that Afghanistan launched an aerial attack across the border. The claim quickly drew strong reactions online, with defense analysts and social media users questioning its accuracy.
Critics pointed out that Afghanistan’s current administration does not operate a functional air force capable of conducting such an operation. Security sources said the report overlooked basic ground realities and lacked supporting evidence.
Following widespread criticism and fact-checking by analysts, Sky News deleted both the report and the related post from its platforms.
Observers say the removal of the story reflects the pressure faced by media organizations in the digital age, where unverified claims are rapidly challenged by experts and the public. Media analysts have stressed the importance of careful verification, especially when reporting on sensitive regional security matters.
No detailed clarification has yet been issued by Sky News regarding the removal of the report.
Pakistani official terms Zabihullah Mujahid statement outright lies
Earlier, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid is making fabricated and misleading claims on social media and claimed that they had captured Pakistani posts, which Pakistani officials have categorically rejected and termed as “outright lies”.
Experts say that the Afghan Taliban are resorting to false narratives to cover up their internal failures and border losses. Security sources have revealed that active accounts of the Indian intelligence agency (RAW) are involved in the campaign in favour of the Afghan Taliban on social media.
“Indian accounts and the Afghan Taliban media cell are jointly running a systematic disinformation campaign against Pakistan to spread unrest among the public.” Government and military sources have appealed to the public not believe unverified videos and news circulating on social media.
Rely only on information provided by official sources (ISPR and Ministry of Information) and remain united to thwart the enemy’s agenda. Pakistan has made it clear that it will go to any extent possible to protect its territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens and any kind of misadventure will be responded to more severely than before.
Tensions have once again reached a peak on the Pak-Afghan border. In response to unprovoked firing and false propaganda by the Afghan Taliban, Pakistani security forces have carried out effective defensive operations targeting terrorist hideouts and Afghan posts across the border.
According to official sources and the Ministry of Information, the Afghan Taliban opened unprovoked firing on Pakistani posts in various sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur. Pakistani forces retaliated immediately and forcefully. According to reports, there has been heavy loss of life and property on the Afghan side and several posts have been destroyed.
The recent series of clashes began when Pakistan carried out intelligence-based operations on the hideouts of terrorists (Fatna al-Kharij) across the border in Nangarhar and Paktika, in which more than 80 terrorists were reported to have been killed.
