As if faking surgical strike or air strikes was not enough, Indian news channels have set a new trend in the fake news business.
Numerous mainstream Indian channels are running fake audio notes to prove that Pakistan is hiding the “damage” Indian Air Force did in Balakot despite the fact the numerous media persons have gone there and seen trees and crows die in the so-called “air strike”.
The Indian news channels while trying to prove that their IAF men actually did some damage probably tasked some dubbing artists from Bollywood to make fake audio notes as Pakistanis living near Balakot who said that they witnessed some “Qayamat Ka Manzar” in Balakot that day.
The first video released by a Hindi news channel generate a lot of laughs as the channel claimed that it has obtained an audio conversation between two terrorists while all audience could hear were two Indians talking to each other posing as Pakistani Muslims in typical Bollywood fashion.
“Janab, Lag Gai, buhat grenad fatay (not phatay)” was all one could hear and of course laugh.
#Indian media released #leaked telephonic conversation of #JEM camp in #AzadKashmir after #India bombed & killed 350 people in that camp.
Listen carefully & listen it again and again to enjoy it thoroughly #Pakistan.#IndianMediaExposed#PakistanStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/gQdhnnuXff— umar ishaque butt (@capisces) March 2, 2019
Then came Aaj Tak’s Anjana Om Kashyap and India Today’s Rahul Kanwal (he was also insulted by fellow Indian Abhijeet recently) who produced some more fake audio notes this time claiming that some Pakistan Army men too died during the air strike (which actually lasted four minutes and damaged some trees only).
आजतक की ये खास पड़ताल देखने के बाद सबूत मांगने वालों का मुंह बंद हो जाएगा!#SpecialReport @anjanaomkashyap के साथ #BalakotTapes https://t.co/X9gzxcCAiH pic.twitter.com/zGbtXOJm4R
— आज तक (@aajtak) March 11, 2019
Rahul Kanwal, being a senior journalist and a face of mainstream Indian media, was widely ridiculed on social media for these fake audio notes.
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: #BalakotTapes put all doubts to rest.
Watch Live with @rahulkanwal– https://t.co/4fqxBVUizL pic.twitter.com/2lIbxrHsnt— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 11, 2019
Renowned Pakistani Journalist Javeria Siddique even nominated Rahul for Pulitzer Prize.
Here is how he was trolled!
Pulitzer Prize walay “Janab” Rahul ko dhond rhy hain, wrote Javeria Siddique Arshad.
Pulitzer Prize walay “Janab” Rahul ko dhond rhy hain 😁☺🤣 https://t.co/dtcEm5ggLt
— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) March 12, 2019
Rahul Kanwal should stop trying to embarrass himself further. Abhishek ko bhool gaya bhai? https://t.co/Gk74cmpui7
— Adeel Raja (@adeelraja) March 11, 2019
Atleast is bar janab nai kaha 😏😒…what a pathetic attempt…Indian media has become a joke!! https://t.co/1UUxTtLCR5
— Omama (@babamurshid) March 11, 2019
Then came some advice
Hidden identity, that too on calls which are not even admissible in any court of law, the wishful thinking is apparent by the deadly desire of killing our Army men, bhaijaan, just come to Islamabad and I will travel with you to Balakot and we can film together n show rhe truth.
— Fe’reeha Idrees (@Fereeha) March 12, 2019
The false claims explained
In the wee hours of February 26, Indian aircraft intruded the LoC near Muzaffarabad sector, however they scrambled back following timely response from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor informed in a tweet, Indian Air Force violated the LoC and the prompt response from the Pakistan Air Force compelled Indian jets to go back.
He said “facing timely and effective response from the PAF, [Indian jets] released [their] payload in haste while escaping, which fell near Balakot.” However, no casualties or damage was reported during the incident, DG ISPR added.
#PakistanStrikesBack
The very next day two IAF fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in broad day light. The Indian fighter jets violated Line of Control (LoC) today, and in a robust response, the PAF destroyed two aircraft of IAF inside Pakistani airspace.
One Indian pilot named Abhinandan was arrested during the operation.
