India, Pak engage in fifth gen warfare: This is just the beginning

In recent years, the Pakistani establishment has upped the ante against New Delhi to divert the attention of its citizens for domestic chaos using fifth-generation warfare (5GW) that targets India's interest and image on three fronts- international, within Pakistan and India

TWENTY YouTube channels and two websites operated and managed by some of the leading and verified Pakistani journalists were blocked by the Indian government, citing that "most of the content posted by the channels" propagate fake news that impacts national security.

Pakistan is the innovation hub for breeding and unleashing terrorism against India -all kinds of terrorism. Be it sending radicalised youth from its madrasas to Kashmir for carrying out jihad, smuggling arms and drugs into Punjab using drones, or deploying fifth-generation warfare, targetting gullible Indians, using its "keyboard warriors" to spread fake news. Pakistani generals, especially those serving in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), are the modern-day Sun Tzu, the Chinese general and military strategist; the only difference being these generals excel in terrorism tactics.

In recent years, the Pakistani establishment has upped the ante against New Delhi to divert the attention of its citizens for domestic chaos using fifth-generation warfare (5GW) that targets India's interest and image on three fronts- international, within Pakistan and India.

A case in point is the misinformation stunt, in 2017, by Maleeha Lodhi, former Pakistan's UN envoy, who presented "a picture from Gaza to demonstrate Indian actions in Kashmir at the United Nations in New York."

The Pakistan military and political establishment has used 5GW, also known as the war of "information and perception", to secure its survival and distract people whenever it failed in its military, diplomatic, and strategic mission against India.

So be it, various conventional wars it fought, since independence, where it lost East Pakistan leading to the formation of Bangladesh, or humiliation on Kargil peaks.

The Pakistani generals have escaped accountability for their misadventure against India using information warfare.

A similar 5GW tactic was unleased internationally when Prime Minister Modi's government scrapped Article 370 in Kashmir. Islamabad was not just infuriated by the move; the scrapping also shook the idea of Pakistan.

Further, lack of international support or condemnation, despite, Imran Khan's ranting on the floor of the UN General Assembly in 2019 forced both the political and military leaders into committing multiple blunders, which are well documented.

Be it Ill-informed Pakistani diplomats, brainwashed and favour seeking TV anchors or chest-thumping politicians all have used doctored images and videos as propaganda tools to create confusion and misinformation on the international stage and within India.

During the anti-CAA protest, Pakistan's ISI engaged 5GW to spread false propaganda to create social unrest, especially by instigating Indian minorities against the Indian State.

The Centre took action to dismantle the "coordinated disinformation" campaign from Pakistan that used to post "divisive content on Kashmir, Indian Army, Ram Mandir, minority communities, and CDS General Bipin Rawat, among other various sensitive subjects related to India."

Blocking a handful of YouTube channels and websites is the first positive step by India in countering Pakistani 5GW. However, given the frugal nature of technology, it would take just a few days for ISI and ISPR to relaunch new platforms and this time, probably the influencers will come out spewing more venom.

Pakistan is slipping into an abyss of uncertainty that is of its own making. Its inability to get off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, due to which its economy is under immense pressure, has led to spiralling inflation. Moreover, Prime Minister Imran Khan is helplessly witnessing the steady decline of his country's international reputation, breakdown of law and order, and the growing unrest among disenfranchised people of Balochistan and the North-west frontier province(NWFP).

Pakistan's blatant interference in Afghanistan and its role in establishing 'Talibment' in Kabul is not going as per its strategic plan or assessment. If anything, the Afghan Taliban in power has encouraged Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to push the Imran Khan government into a tight corner. Incidents along the Durand line where the Taliban has removed barbed wire fencing between the two nations augur ill for Islamabad. What Pakistan thought was a strategic move in Afghanistan seems to have backfired.

Added to this, the Pakistani expats, though a handful, have started to question Pakistani rulers about the miserable state of their country, especially when compared to India. Thus, the desperation within the Pakistan army is growing louder and deeper.

Given the current state of Pakistan that predicates a bleak future, its rulers need a diversion and what better than India. They need to show India in a poor light, especially when it comes to Kashmiris and Indian Muslims in general.

The Pakistan establishment will leave no stone unturned to weave and disseminate a web of lies and misinformation to unsettle India's peace and security. Thus, New Delhi needs to be proactive and not reactive in challenging the enemy in fifth-generation warfare.

(The author is Founder of MyStartup TV)