With diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan simmering anew, social and mainstream media have been turned into battlegrounds for rival narratives.
Indian YouTuber Dhruv Rathee three days ago uploaded a widely watched 21-minute video blaming Pakistan for “continued terror financing” and demanding Islamabad’s re-listing on the FATF grey list.
Rathee’s video relied heavily on Indian government releases and domestic media coverage.
Within 24 hours, Pakistani journalist Syed Muzamil Shah, who is a broadcast journalist, and well-known for his critical analysis on BOL and Express News, released a scathing counter-video.
From authentic FATF communiqués, Shah carefully deconstructed Rathee’s assertions. Pakistan has undergone four site visits of FATF assessments since 2022 that didn’t find “strategic deficiencies”; re-listing is only possible through a member-state proposal, not social media campaigns; and India’s own 2023 Mutual Evaluation Report had itself pointed out “medium-high” terror-financing risks.
Shah’s concise, fact-based reply struck a chord with Pakistani viewers. In the two following days, hashtags such as *#MuzamilDestroysDhruv* and *#FactsOverHate* trended on X, while Rathee’s channel experienced a quantifiable decline in new subscribers.
Media commentators credited Shah’s respect for journalistic integrity, observing that his reliance on facts highlighted the dictum that “journalism’s first loyalty is to truth, not tribe.
The exchange shows how influencer-driven narratives can set public opinion, even in long-standing conflicts, and underscores the importance of independent fact-checking.
In a world of digital echo chambers, Shah’s quick, source-supported counterattack reminds us that deep evidence can still prevail.
