While most of the Indian media is gung-ho about Pakistan’s deceptive peacenik intentions towards India, the Pakistan army is quietly preparing a media strategy for future war and aggressive standoff with India. But for the Pak Army, the Indian Army is not the main enemy but the Indian media. Indian television and print publications, whether they are news or entertainment, are available widely across Pakistan through both legitimate means and piracy. The Pak Army feels that this has demoralised Pakistan to the extent that it sees India as a formidable foe which cannot be defeated in war. It even states that Kargil War was lost because of the relentless media barrage praising the bravery of Indian troops, thus destroying the fighting spirit of the Pak Army. It believes that content emanating from India is also demoralising Pak society.
These startling revelations are part of the Pak Army’s secret ‘Green Book’ accessed by The Sunday Standard. The 258-page book, edited by former Pak Army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and circulated among Army officers, has advised Pakistani media to adopt some funny strategies like repeating lies, running one-sided stories or publishing biased photographs to counter Indian media during future wars between the two nations. It has also recommended that Pak Army must acquire a TV channel and a radio station for dissemination of propaganda.
It may sound hilarious but Muhammed Azam Asif, a serving Pak Major General and commander of an infantry division, has slammed Pakistani media in the book for not countering the penetration of Indian TV and newspapers effectively. Asif is of the view that Pak media doesn’t have the credibility among the masses, forcing people to tune in to All India Radio, BBC and Indian satellite channels during a period of crisis or whenever an important event takes place. Citing the 1971 War, the ‘Green Book’ says the Indian media’s primary goal is to defeat the enemy psychologically and disarm them morally.
“Our adversary has taken great bounds in acquiring media power and has been putting it to good use for her benefits. With a number of TV channels and remarkable advancement in information technology, India has attained a total electronic media supremacy over Pakistan,” the Green Book says.
The book has called for a brainstorming session between Pak media and the Army saying if the nation is not motivated enough to withstand the aggression, it cannot aspire to preserve freedom. “In future wars, psychological operation will not be the only function which our media would be called upon to perform in the context of national security, but it would act as a bridge between forces and the people.”
Interestingly, the ‘Green Book’ has asked Pak media to repeat lies during future conflicts and give only one aspect of a story to gain desired effects. It has also suggested that the Pak media must indulge in yellow journalism with scary headlines, fake pictures and interviews to support Pak army in any future war with India. Publishing biased photographs, presenting opinions as fact, using misleading headlines and wrongful attribution are some of the tools recommended to win the future war with India.
The ‘Green Book’, while analysing defeat in Kargil War, has accused the Pakistani media of giving up without putting up a fight against enemy media invasion. It has said on the other hand Indian media created war hysteria using cricketers, film actors and popular personalities to boost the morale of their troops.
“Pakistan decided to withdraw due to low morale of troop’s heavy causalities and mounting international pressure. Pakistani Media failed to counter media invasion launched by India in Kargil... It lacked offensive posture and well coordinated and planned themes to raise the morale of the troops or to shield them against Indian propaganda,