ISLAMABAD: Senior Analyst and Managing Director of Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), Abdullah Khan, has said that in the modern era, wars are no longer confined to the battlefield, they are also fought in the realm of perception, where information is both a weapon and a shield, known as information warfare.
Abdullah Khan said that information warfare is silent but potent conflict is shaping global narratives and influencing national security like never before.
Speaking to Burak Digital Abdullah Khan claimed that India has long tried to portray itself as a major player in the information domain. However, its efforts are often clumsy and easily discredited. From fake media reports to fabricated social media campaigns, many of India’s attempts at disinformation have been exposed on international platforms, undermining its credibility.
Regarding the recent conflict in the region, he said that countries like Iran and Israel demonstrate a far more sophisticated and strategic approach. Israel, with its advanced cyber capabilities, and Iran, with its nuanced narrative-building across the Middle East, has shown how information can be weaponized with precision.
While explaining the Pakistan capabilities in the modern warfare, he said that progress has been made in digital communication and media outreach; there is an urgent need to modernize and institutionalize information warfare capabilities. The adversary does not only attack with missiles, but also with manipulated facts and targeted narratives.
He further said that information warfare is no longer a secondary front, it is a core element of national defense, adding that to safeguard our interests, and we must match and exceed our rivals in strategic communication and counter-disinformation efforts.
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Abdullah Khan advised that as global conflicts increasingly take shape in cyberspace and digital media, Pakistan must evolve from reactive measures to proactive information strategies. The battle for hearts and minds is real, and it must be fought with truth, clarity, and technological readiness.
