A photograph of a destroyed mosque, circulated on social media with claims that the Pakistan Army demolished a mosque in Balochistan using heavy and light weapons, actually dates back to 2016 and is linked to an incident in Nigeria involving Boko Haram.
The image was shared by an account named Waqar Khan, described as a PTI official in the United States, alongside a video accusing the Pakistan Army of destroying a mosque in Balochistan.
However, the photograph has no connection to Pakistan. It shows destruction in Nigeria in 2016, where an attack also claimed the life of a senior Nigerian military official.
The post goes beyond sharing a misleading photograph and attempts to construct a narrative around the alleged military operation. It suggests that the Pakistan Army claimed militants were receiving training inside the mosque, while local residents supposedly denied the presence of any armed group.
By combining an unrelated photograph with these allegations, the post attempts to portray the Pakistan Army as targeting a religious place in Balochistan.
The misleading narrative also targets Pakistan’s armed forces, the state and Balochistan, a province already facing security challenges, militant violence and cross-border infiltration.
The circulation of such content raises concerns about the use of fabricated and misleading material to influence public opinion, undermine state institutions and create distrust between local communities and security forces.
The episode also highlights the growing role of digital propaganda networks in spreading misleading narratives about Pakistan’s security situation, particularly in Balochistan and Kashmir.
