ISLAMABAD: Vishal Chander Kanet, alias Major Arjun Shukla, code-named “Fatima” and operator of “Balochistan Facts,” has been identified as a trained media warfare agent for India’s RAW. Born in Himachal Pradesh, Vishal graduated in Mass Communication from JNU and became fluent in multiple languages.
He joined RAW’s Information Warfare Task Group in 2017 and played a key role in psychological operations targeting Pakistan. Vishal was recruited after impressing RAW officials during a JNU media workshop in 2016, where he displayed strong text manipulation skills.
By 2018, he was tasked with promoting separatist narratives about Balochistan via social media. In 2020, he launched the “Fatima” account, followed by “Balochistan Facts” in 2024, both of which spread anti-Pakistan propaganda under the guise of fact-checking.
Utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT and Twitter bot networks with 29 fake accounts, Vishal manufactured and amplified disinformation narratives.
He used edited content, fake images, and false claims to distort public perception.
His accounts often spread misinformation immediately after incidents, such as the May 21, 2025, attack on students by BLA.
Satellite intelligence later confirmed Vishal’s GPS location matched that of the BLA’s satellite phone.
Financial investigations revealed RAW supported him through crypto vouchers and unreported funds, some from military family pensions.
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Pakistani intelligence mapped his network, leading to suspension of multiple fake accounts, including “Fatima,” causing a sharp drop in his digital reach. Vishal’s exposure shows how hybrid warfare is waged not just with weapons but with narratives — and how Pakistan’s cyber agencies are now effectively countering this threat.
