A War Won On Screens, Lost In Battlefield

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th May, 2025) Guns roared, jets started sorties and missiles stormed Indian airspace and installations in an unprecedented and valiant assault inside enemy’s territory turning mighty military assets into ashes within hours.

For us it was simply a matter of few hours to astonish Indian anchors and people by winning a war in the battlefield in the morning that they had pretended to win on television screens the last night. Seeing the outcome they were not simply taken aback but still in agony and shock for losing to a country that they thought was no match to them.

It was wee hours on May 10, when prior to starting a telling reply to a coward enemy, Fajar prayer and Dua was before chanting a slogan of Naara-e-Takbeer – Allah-o-Akbar to unleash an attack that made history and elevated Pakistan to a new pinnacle of reverence amongst the comity of nations.

Pakistan Army and Air Force won accolades for the nation by crushing India to a stunning defeat by downing their seven fighter jets, spoiling S-400 missile system, attacking airbases and missile depots and capturing dozens of posts in IIOJK.

Jamming radars and fighter jets systems, hacking websites, calculated artillery and missile firing remained the hallmark of Pakistan’s attack that blinded Indian military personnel and machines to give safe sailing to Pakistan.

A new course in cyber warfare had been set, rising eyebrows of many when our JF-17 and J-10C jets and PL-15, Fatah-I and Fatah-II hit French Rafale, Israeli drones, Indian Brahamos missiles and Russian S-400 air defense system, making India to eat dust. Then the ceasefire came obviously on the request of India and attack was put to halt.

It was a multi-pronged warfare with electronic and social media also bearing pivotal importance. Live coverage of shows, broadcast, Vlogs and Podcasts were cruelly used by India to build a false narrative. But, the will they tried to propagate in words, we manifested in our deeds standing firm as a nation.

The story of hatred against Pakistan dates back to years as Bollywood was continuously busy in an onslaught to propagate scorn against Pakistan and build a narrative that their forces were unbeatable.

Although, May 10 turned to be a nightmare for them and their narrative dashed to ground within hours yet it leaves a message for us – a message of building our narrative more vigorously through our diplomacy, curricula, drama and film industry.

“If India can screen visionary stories showcasing their actors as unbeatable, why cannot we present our real time heroes to the world as a squad more bold and determined,” remarked Rai Yaseem, advocate High Court.

“No matter that our anchors and Vloggers dedicatedly defended our forces and the government and exhibited the will of our people,” he said. “But we need to highlight the real history of Indian hegemony and aggression and wash away the bluff, the Indian film industry was nurturing in their minds.”

Pleading strongly to fully revive our drama and film industry on these lines, he suggested to make films on multi-dimensional operation ‘Bunyan-um-Marsoos’ focusing topics like electronic and cyber warfare, use of military machines, valor of pilots and soldiers and unflinching support of the nation and political parties.

“We may have multiple topics like Shaheen ki Parwaz; Operation Azm; Sach ki Jeet; and so on to show our nationalism, diplomacy and desire for peace besides heroism of our soldiers and their supremacy on ground and in the air,” he said.

A retired school teacher Ustad Abdul Qayyum also had similar feelings as he recalled 1965 and 1971 wars. “This war must also be made part of our syllabi to teach our coming generations about our marvelous victory and teaching them truths of Indo-Pak history.”

“In our times there was only Pakistan Television and we trusted it. But in recent times with media onslaught, it is challenging to groom our youth in an atmosphere of truth and sensibility,” he remarked. “We need to save our nascent minds from lethal propaganda of enemy through vigorous social media campaigns and film and dramas making.”

Chaudhry Tahir, another citizen also suggested to film the series of events of Marka-e-Haq and save it in our archives for coming generations.

“Nations live longer and survive respectfully when they preserve their heritage either it is cultural or about warfare and sacrifices. If we do not preserve it, we may miss a strong connection between us and our children,” he said.

He suggested to selecting well performing actors, engaging them in films and drama productions of different caliber for different age groups. “Let us keep our nationalism alive and leave no room for enemy to misguide our innocent youth.”

We have won; thanks to Allah, our forces and the nation. But, it cannot be all in presence of a shrewd and mean enemy like India and need to stand guard for verbal warfare to physical and material encounters. We shall have to keep our belts tightened; highlight our narrative in present electronic warfare and preserve our legacy for the coming generations in the form of films and tv drama.

APP/maz (APP Feature Service)