The fog of war

On the role of media in the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict

Image generated by ChatGPT

In the last 24 hours, if the Indian electronic media is to be believed:

· The Indian navy launched an attack on the port of Karachi

· The Indian armed forces captured Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad

Pakistan army chief Asim Munir has been arrested

· Pakistani suicide bombers infiltrated various sites in Punjab

· Pakistani tanks were spotted heading for the Rajasthan border

There is more, and none of it is true. In fact, the armed forces through their press liaisons have had to waste precious time denying each of these “stories”.

Meanwhile, media stars -- mustachioed and otherwise -- are busy "reporting from the ground". Think about it: This is armed conflict (It is not, yet, a full-fledged war), not a tennis match. What could you possibly report "from the ground", when events are playing out across a vast landscape, other than a random visual, a “sound byte” sans wider context? What is the point, other than to hype themselves as "war reporters"?

Update: Here is one such star reporter, “on the ground”, reporting a totally false story.

This is the existential tragedy of our times. In times of conflict, what we need is impeccably sourced, verified information -- not sensationalist "stories" cloaked in jingoism. And yet, when we most need it, it is the media that is proving to be the least trustworthy.

The phrase "fog of war" has its origins in military theory, and is most famously attributed to the 19th-century Prussian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz. While Clausewitz didn't use the exact phrase "fog of war" in English, he introduced the concept in his seminal work, On War (published posthumously in 1832). He was referring to the uncertainty and confusion that commanders face during battle —imperfect information, miscommunication, and unpredictability — as a kind of metaphorical fog.

“War is the realm of uncertainty: three quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty.”

— Carl von Clausewitz, On War (1832)

Those were straightforward times. Today, "the fog of war" is more appropriately used to underline how truth becomes obscured not by lack of access but by deliberate distortion, by the emphasis of speed over accuracy and "narrative" over nuance.

The antidote is, of course, truth. But the logical repository of truth in times of conflict -- the government -- is actively aiding and abetting the spread of misinformation. Firstly, by not releasing in timely fashion a true picture of events. Second, by not acting against the purveyors of falsehood. And third, by seeking to block sources of information it cannot control and manipulate -- as for instance its latest demand to the social media platform X to block around 8000 accounts, including a large number of international news media and journalists.

Update: After X’s global affairs division reported the Indian government’s request for banning thousands of handles, the global affairs division handle has itself been banned. You really can’t make this shit up.

XXX

IN a well-run newsroom, coverage begins with what we call a lead-all: a story that wraps all known, verified information into one comprehensive take that serves as the foundation, the base for all additional stories and commentary. Out of curiosity, I opened up the AI engine Grok and gave it the following prompt:

"You are the news editor. Based on known, verified information, create a lead-all of events, over the last 24 hours, in the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan."

This is what I got:

"In the past 24 hours, the volatile conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan has intensified, marked by retaliatory missile and drone strikes, civilian casualties, and heightened military posturing along the Line of Control (LoC).

The escalation, rooted in a deadly April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, has brought the two nations to the brink of broader conflict, prompting international pleas for restraint.

On May 8, 2025, Pakistan launched missile and drone attacks targeting Indian military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, following India’s Operation Sindoor strikes on May 7 which hit nine alleged terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

India’s S-400 air defense systems intercepted the Pakistani strikes, with no reported casualties or damage on Indian soil. Indian forces responded by targeting air defense radars in Pakistan, including neutralizing a defense system in Lahore.

Sources report that Operation Sindoor killed approximately 100 terrorists, though Pakistan claims the strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including mosques, killing 26 people, including children.

Civilian areas along the LoC faced heavy artillery shelling from Pakistan. Residents reported hearing shelling and firing. In Uri, fire trucks were deployed to mitigate risks from ceasefire violations. Pakistan’s intensified firing targeted civilian areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, and Rajouri, escalating fears of further violence.

Both nations traded accusations of aggression, with Pakistan’s Defense Minister signaling further retaliation as “increasingly certain” and India defending its strikes as precise actions against terror camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. The Indian Ministry of Defence reported no losses in the latest attacks, while Pakistan’s National Security Committee condemned India’s actions as a “blatant act of war.”

In related developments, a T20 fixture in the ongoing Indian Premier League, which was underway in Dharamshala, was called off abruptly. The official reason was malfunction of a light tower; however, sources at the venue said the action was taken in light of the venue's relative proximity to the theatres of conflict.

Globally, the United States, through State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, urged peaceful resolution, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaging both nations. Rubio in a statement however ruled out any official role for the United States in helping to resolve the conflict.

The International Monetary Fund expressed hope for de-escalation, noting a scheduled review of Pakistan’s funding on May 9. The United Nations Security Council held closed-door talks on the situation earlier this week.

As both sides claim tactical victories, analysts warn of the catastrophic risks of escalation, given the nuclear capabilities of both nations. India’s superior military and economic strength contrasts with Pakistan’s vow for a “befitting response,” leaving the region in a precarious stalemate."

In a well-run newsroom, this is what a news editor (or, in the case of electronic media, a producer) would create and use as base to frame the coverage. From here, the idea would be to break up these developments into discrete bits, find additional information, and line up informed and credible sources to speak to each of these points.

That is exactly what mainstream electronic media is not doing, preferring the sensational over the factual with no thought spared for the consequences of such institutional irresponsibility at a time of crisis.

And they do this -- they are able to do this -- not merely because of the patronage of the government, but because of the complicity of the viewers.

In an age where the media wields unparalleled influence, the warning of Walter Lippmann -- that the media's power to misinform can distort truth and manipulate minds—is apropos. And it is now up to us to navigate a world where discerning fact from fiction becomes our greatest challenge.