Media being pressurised to conform to official narrative on Pakistan: Indian journalist

ISLAMABAD: Journalists in India are being pressurised to conform to the official narrative of hate-mongering against Pakistan. 

A renowned journalist Ravish Kumar told a German TV channel that those who did not comply had faced public ridicule on social media.

He said the Indian media were not reporting on the Pakistan-India conflict as much as they were using the conflict as an excuse to build up the ruling party’s electoral prospects in the upcoming general elections.

He said that the intention of this warmongering was to polarise people and consolidate votes.

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Tension between both the neighbouring countries escalated after two fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in broad day light on February 27.

Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, in his last video statement in Pakistan, had said Pakistan Army personnel saved his life from a charged mob on Feb 27 when he fell to the ground in Pakistan’s territory after his jet was shot down by the PAF.

Pakistan released Abhinandan on Friday as a gesture of peace in order to de-escalate the soaring tensions with New Delhi.

He said he was finding the target when the PAF jets shot his aircraft. Abhinandan said he had to leave his jet and fly off it before it was blown off.

The Indian wing commander said media in his country was rambunctious and exaggerate things. “And subsequently people fall victim and believe the overstated info aired in the Indian media.”