The recent incident involving Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has triggered a wave of embarrassment and online ridicule after a misrepresented photograph was presented as a memento of military "success" against India. The image, portrayed as a symbol of Pakistan's supposed triumph during Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, has been exposed as a recycled photo from a 2019 Chinese military drill, featuring the PHL-03 multiple rocket launcher.
The image, originally credited to Chinese photographer Huang Hai, has circulated online for years and has no connection whatsoever to Pakistan’s military or any strike operation. Despite this, Munir allegedly used the photo to illustrate a fabricated Pakistani offensive against India—an attempt at narrative building that quickly unraveled.
According to Indian sources, the Indian Armed Forces shared verifiable photo and video evidence of precision airstrikes and drone incursions carried out in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists. The Indian response, part of Operation Sindoor, reportedly inflicted substantial damage on Pakistani airbases and terrorist launchpads in both Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In contrast, the Pakistani establishment’s use of a doctored narrative, especially one relying on misappropriated imagery, has prompted sharp criticism online:
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One user quipped, “Shehbaz Sharif gifted Chinese Drill Pic as ‘Op Bunyan’ memento to Pak Army Chief. I don't think they know anything about Google Image Search.”
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Another posted, “Pak PM just gifted Asim Munir a photo from a 2019 Chinese military drill—faking war glory against India. Instead, India provided corroborated evidence of strikes with precision and power during #OperationSindoor. Denial, deception, and delusion remain state policy of Pakistan.”
The incident is not just a case of mistaken visuals but reflects deeper issues within Pakistan's strategic communications. Analysts suggest that the use of staged propaganda in formal military and political settings indicates a disconnect between ground realities and public narrative construction by the Pakistani state.
This isn’t the first time Pakistan has been called out for disseminating doctored or misleading visuals in times of military tension. In contrast, India’s diplomatic and military establishment has emphasized transparency and deterrence, as reinforced in recent Parliamentary Consultative Committee briefings by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
With global observers—including the U.S. and regional allies—closely monitoring the India-Pakistan standoff, such incidents of misinformation could further erode Pakistan’s credibility on the international stage, especially when juxtaposed against India’s documented and restrained use of military power.
