In today’s interconnected world, an insidious form of disinformation, known as narrative laundering is reshaping global discourse. This technique masks false or manipulated narratives through seemingly credible intermediaries; including media outlets, think tanks, pseudo‑NGOs, and influencers to make them appear legitimate. In the context of Pakistan, narrative laundering has emerged as a strategic tool used both internally and externally to distort its international image.
Understanding Narrative Laundering
Narrative laundering is akin to money laundering: false or misleading information is “cleaned” through successive layers of distribution, lending it legitimacy as it is republished and amplified. Social media platforms, poorly verified blogs, and proxy accounts initiate the misinformation before it is repackaged by reputable actors These intermediaries, many cloaked in academic or NGO branding, lend unwarranted authority, allowing narratives to ascend into mainstream discourse.
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The “Indian Chronicles” & Global Influence Operations
A stark case study is the “Indian Chronicles” network, uncovered by EU DisinfoLab. Over a 15‑year campaign spanning more than 115 countries, over 750 fake media outlets, resurrected NGOs, and impersonated personalities were used to push a pro‑India, anti‑Pakistan global narrative. These entities replicated the look of legitimate sources, using EU Parliament letterhead, bogus UN credentials, and fake websites, creating an illusion of institutional backing. Notably, the network organized events like the Friends of Balochistan and South Asia Peace Forum within European institutions to influence policymakers, while publishing content in fabricated “local” outlets such as EP Today or Baluchistan Today, media platforms that were mere shells controlled by the same operation. These proxies effectively sanitized disinformation, providing cover for narratives aimed at discrediting Pakistan internationally.
Source: BBC
Escalation During India‑Pakistan Tensions
Disinformation ramped up sharply in May 2025 with Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted strikes against terrorist bases within Pakistan. Across social media, both sides amplified false claims within hours. Indian-affiliated accounts circulated doctored videos, fabricated coup drama, and false takeovers of Pakistani cities; these were picked up by mainstream Indian media as breaking news, despite later debunking. Indian ministers and state-aligned media further legitimized these claims by endorsing them, even without verification. What began on fringe platforms quickly ascended to national and international news outlets. Once a claim, no matter how baseless, gained enough attention, major television networks or diaspora media cited it, completing the cycle of laundering from fringe to credentialed.
Source: Tribune Magazine
How Pakistan’s Image Suffers
Narrative laundering poses serious risks to Pakistan’s global standing, eroding the credibility of its official communications when false narratives, once exposed, undermine trust in even legitimate messaging. These disinformation campaigns, often funneled through NGO-style fronts and proxy networks, manipulate diplomatic discourse by influencing parliamentary discussions, particularly on sensitive issues like Kashmir and human rights.
Domestically, they exacerbate ethnic and political divisions, especially among low-literacy populations via platforms like WhatsApp, fueling polarization and instability. Most critically, during heightened tensions, such as in May 2025. These laundered narratives inflamed nationalist sentiment on both sides of the India-Pakistan divide, bringing the region dangerously close to open conflict and illustrating how disinformation can amplify miscalculation in a nuclearized environment.
Counter‑Measures and Recommendations
Pakistan has begun responding through legal and educational initiatives. The proposed PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023 and updates to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) aim to target disinformation networks and hold actors accountable. Initiatives from private media literacy campaigns such as AFP fact‑checking and the Soch project also aim to build public resilience.
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Media information literacy (MIL) programs should reach as many users as possible, given that interventions combining general education with personalized feedback have shown improvements in detecting fake news in urban Pakistan.
Policy steps include:
- Mapping and exposing fake networks via WHOIS domain analysis and network tracing, as DisinfoLab did, to disclose proxy actors.
- Launching proactive counter‑narratives through credible international outlets, academic forums, and think‑tanks.
- Engaging diaspora platforms to communicate Pakistan’s perspective more effectively.
- Strengthening coordination between the Ministry of Information, PTA, NACTA, and cyber agencies to trace and dismantle narrative‑laundering operations.
Conclusion
Narrative laundering has evolved into a potent instrument of hybrid warfare, capable of distorting facts and influencing perception far from ground realities. In Pakistan’s case, such campaigns, whether orchestrated by foreign proxies or domestic power centers, operate through sophisticated layers of sanitization that cloak distortion in legitimacy. As geopolitical rivals exploit these mechanisms to shape international opinion, Pakistan must double down on strategic communication, fact-based counter‑narratives, and robust media literacy.
The international community and policymakers too must recognize narrative laundering not as harmless rumor, but as a deliberate tactic embedded in modern information warfare. Only then can true credibility be defended and falsehoods disarmed before they take root.
