Pakistan Pushes 'False Flag Narrative' Against India As Khawaja Asif Threatens To Target Kolkata

Last Updated:April 05, 2026, 10:23 IST

Pakistan is pushing a “false flag” narrative as part of a defensive propaganda strategy, top intelligence sources told CNN-News18.

Pakistan is constructing a narrative around alleged “Indian false flag operations" as part of a propaganda strategy, according to top intelligence inputs accessed by CNN-News18.

Sources indicated that the “false flag" narrative is being positioned as a pre-emptive information tactic intended to influence perceptions in the event of future terror incidents.

According to the inputs, Pakistan is currently in a defensive propaganda mode, seeking to neutralise India’s ability to respond to potential attacks by shaping the narrative in advance.

Intelligence sources said the messaging pattern suggests an attempt to divert attention while portraying India as a potential aggressor in the information domain.

“Not reality – only false claims: attention diversion or something else," sources said, describing the emerging pattern of statements from Islamabad.

KOLKATA REMARK SEEN AS STRATEGIC SIGNAL

Sources also flagged concerns over the reference to Kolkata in Pakistan’s messaging, warning that such statements contribute to normalising rhetoric about striking deep inside Indian territory.

“The Kolkata threat is dangerous because it normalised talk of striking deep inside India but likely aimed more at optics than immediate operational intent," top intelligence sources told CNN-News18.

According to the inputs, the rhetoric may be intended to create deterrence signalling while shaping international opinion amid ongoing tensions in the region.

Sources further said Pakistan appears to be projecting itself as playing “a very important role" while simultaneously pushing messaging around peace and regional harmony.

KHAWAJA ASIF’s REMARK ON POSSIBLE ATTACKS IN KOLKATA

The inputs stemmed from Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s warning that if India attempted any “false flag operation," Pakistan’s response would extend to Kolkata.

“If India tries to stage any false flag operation this time, then God-willingly, we will take it to Kolkata," Asif said while speaking to reporters in Sialkot.

Asif also alleged that India could attempt to fabricate terrorism narratives.

“India is preparing for a false flag operation. If it plays a drama, it will reach Kolkata," he said.

He further claimed that India may stage incidents by “laying down some bodies somewhere and saying ‘they were terrorists and had done so and so’."

Asif added that “Pakistan is playing a very important role, pray for peace in the region, and harmony among brotherly countries."

Earlier, on April 2, Asif said Pakistan’s response to any attack would be “swift, calibrated, and decisive."

Responding to remarks by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Asif said that repeated rhetoric reflected “visible strategic anxiety" as the anniversary of the Pahalgam attack approaches.

Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the repeated references to “false flag operations" could be part of a disinformation framework intended to influence global narratives.

According to the sources, the messaging appears calibrated to create ambiguity around attribution in the event of future incidents, potentially complicating India’s response posture.

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