Pakistan Trolled for Fake 'Op Bunyan' Image Gifted to PM
A recent high-profile dinner hosted by Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, intended to honor the nation’s leadership and military resilience, has backfired spectacularly, becoming a target of widespread mockery on social media. The reason? A framed image gifted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by Munir, touted as a depiction of Pakistan’s alleged military operation victory over India — “Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos” — has been exposed as a probable fake.
The image in question, which was presented with much ceremony at the event, has drawn criticism for its uncanny resemblance to a publicly available photo of a Chinese military exercise conducted years ago. This apparent act of passing off a foreign image as Pakistani military might has sparked outrage, ridicule, and disbelief online, dealing a major blow to Islamabad’s narrative-building efforts around the so-called military victory.
Users on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) were quick to point out the resemblance, with many claiming the photo was taken directly from Chinese People’s Liberation Army drills. One post sarcastically remarked, “Apparently the Pakistan Army Chief has gifted PM Shehbaz Sharif a dated Chinese military photo as a souvenir to illustrate Pak Army attack against India. So not just a fake victory narrative but also a fake photo with it. What a joke @OfficialDGISPR.”
Others joined in, highlighting the absurdity of the situation and questioning why Pakistan couldn’t produce an original image if the military operation was indeed genuine. “They can't even produce original visuals of their own military operation,” read another viral post, echoing the disbelief felt by many observers.
The event, held to commemorate what was claimed to be Pakistan’s decisive military response to India’s “Operation Sindoor,” included top political and military leaders such as President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The dinner was intended as a patriotic celebration of “Marka-e-Haq,” showcasing the unity and strength of Pakistan’s armed forces. However, the staged narrative quickly unraveled under the weight of viral fact-checking and online scrutiny.
Critics have not only questioned the validity of the operation itself — with Indian forces reportedly having neutralized Pakistani drones and missile strikes — but also the timing and credibility of Munir’s recent elevation to Field Marshal, a title traditionally reserved for wartime commanders who have led their nations to undeniable victories. In the absence of any actual conflict resembling such a description, the promotion has raised eyebrows both within Pakistan and abroad.
The fake image scandal further dents the credibility of the Pakistan military’s media strategy, which has long been accused of using state propaganda to craft favorable narratives around national security matters. The backlash has been so intense that hashtags like #FakeVictory and #OperationGoogleImage began trending online.
Adding to the irony, many users noted that the viral image looked like it had been directly downloaded from Google Images, specifically featuring a Chinese PHL-03 multiple rocket launcher. Some Instagram users even joked that Sharif had returned the “favor” by gifting a Photoshopped image of his own, creating an endless meme loop that only amplified the farce.
Despite the growing online furor, neither the Pakistan Army nor the government has officially responded to the controversy or offered any clarification regarding the authenticity of the image. The silence has only added fuel to the fire, with critics interpreting the lack of response as tacit acknowledgment of the blunder.
This incident comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with internal economic and political challenges. In such a climate, attempts to foster national pride through military glorification and symbolic victories are seen as a strategic distraction. However, when such attempts are based on doctored visuals and unverifiable claims, they not only fail to inspire but also risk humiliating the very institutions they aim to glorify.
What was intended as a moment of national pride has instead turned into a textbook example of how propaganda can spectacularly backfire in the digital age. In a world where information is easily verifiable and archives are just a few clicks away, any attempt to mislead — intentionally or otherwise — is bound to face intense scrutiny.
For now, the image of a Chinese military drill masquerading as Pakistani battlefield glory has become a global meme and a stark reminder of the power of the internet in holding even the most powerful to account. Whether or not there will be official fallout from this embarrassment remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Operation Bunyan has become Operation Blunder.