Silent war against the nation |
IN the modern era, wars are no longer confined to physical battlefields or fought solely with tanks, missiles and troops.
A far more subtle, persistent and dangerous front has emerged—the information domain. Here, fake news, disinformation and psychological operations are weaponized to weaken states from within. Anti-state propaganda has evolved into a silent war, capable of destabilizing societies, eroding public trust and fragmenting national cohesion without firing a single bullet. For countries such as Pakistan and Iran, which face sustained geopolitical pressure due to their strategic importance and independent foreign policies, this invisible war represents a serious and ongoing national security challenge. Fake news propaganda does not rely on facts; it thrives on emotions, fear, anger and resentment. It deliberately exploits existing political, ethnic, sectarian, economic and social fault lines. Carefully crafted false narratives are designed to appear credible, often blending partial truths with outright lies. Once injected into the digital ecosystem through social media platforms, hostile websites, anonymous blogs and compromised media outlets, these narratives spread faster than verified information. Algorithms amplify sensational content, ensuring maximum reach, while corrections or clarifications rarely receive comparable attention.
The impact of such propaganda is deep and multidimensional. At the state level, it systematically undermines confidence in key institutions,........