Pakistan’s government on Saturday claimed to have uncovered another “heinous conspiracy” by India following the failure of Operation Sindoor, accusing New Delhi of launching misinformation campaigns and attempting to use a Pakistani fisherman for espionage.
Federal ministers Atta Tarar and Talal Chaudhry presented what they said was evidence of the plot, including an alleged confessional statement and an audio recording of an Indian handler.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Information Minister Atta Tarar said India could not “digest Pakistan’s victory" in Marka-e-Haq and had resorted to propaganda after facing embarrassment over the failed Operation Sindoor.
He said Indian media had created a false narrative, claiming that “ports in Lahore and Multan” had been destroyed — an assertion Tarar ridiculed, noting that both cities are landlocked.
Tarar said India had now launched a mis- and disinformation campaigns against Pakistan, using social media and fabricated videos to malign the country’s institutions.
Arrest of fisherman Ijaz Mallah
The information minister revealed that a Pakistani fisherman named Ijaz Mallah had been arrested for alleged involvement in the conspiracy. He said Mallah, who often fished in the open sea, was detained by Indian Coast Guards and later used by Indian intelligence agencies to carry out anti-Pakistan tasks.
“India sent Ijaz Mallah to Pakistan with a task, was pressured by Indian intelligence agencies and used against Pakistan, Atta Tarar,” Tarar said.
Confessional statement
At the media briefing, Mallah’s confessional statement was played. In it, he said he was arrested when he went out in the open sea for fishing. "I was told to get uniforms of Pakistan Army, Navy and Rangers, as well as Zong SIM cards, Pakistani cigarettes, and currency," according to the confessional statement.
He said after being released by Indian agencies, he sent pictures and items to a secret Indian officer, following which he was arrested by Pakistani authorities upon returning to sea.
Ministers’ statements on India’s motives
Atta Tarar said Indian agencies had a “history of false flag operations and propaganda” and were now attempting to cover up their embarrassment from Operation Sindoor through misinformation.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry accused Indian media, or “Godi media,” of pushing baseless stories to divert attention from domestic political failures. “Now Bihar elections are near, and whenever they fail in Pahalgam or elsewhere, they try to make up for it with fake stories or cricket hype,” he said.
He claimed that the purpose of using Zong SIMs was to create a narrative against China. Chaudhry added that the enemies continued to be exposed at every forum.
He said Pakistan’s security institutions are fully alert, monitoring every move of the enemy. “We are a sovereign country. Our land is not used against anyone, and we don’t want others’ land to be used against us,” he stressed.
Pakistan’s stance and vigilance
Both ministers reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace and regional stability while emphasizing that the country will expose every hostile move. “India’s intentions are reprehensible,” Talal Chaudhry said. “Our agencies will continue to confront and counter such conspiracies.”
They also questioned how videos, such as those of the Jaffar Express tragedy, appeared first on Indian media, implying that New Delhi’s media ecosystem is used to manipulate narratives for political gain.
The ministers concluded that Pakistan’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies had once again foiled India’s designs. They reiterated that Pakistan remains a responsible state that respects the sovereignty of other nations and will not allow its soil to be exploited for any malicious purpose.
