In the wake of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack on April 22—which claimed the lives of 26 civilians at the picturesque Baisaran meadow in Jammu & Kashmir—tensions between India and Pakistan have once again escalated. While the Indian government responded by downgrading diplomatic ties and suspending the Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan threatened to exit all bilateral treaties, including the historic Simla Agreement.
Amid this grave backdrop, an unusual phenomenon has taken over Pakistani social media: self-deprecating humour. Yes, instead of fanning the flames of nationalism, many Pakistanis took to X (formerly Twitter) to roast their own country’s economic instability, crumbling infrastructure, and energy shortages—all with trademark wit and sarcasm.
One of the most viral lines was: “Jung karni ho to 9 baje se pehle karlena, 9:15 par gas chali jaati hai hamari” (If you want to wage war, do it before 9 PM—our gas supply ends at 9:15). Another user added a security advisory for potential invaders: “Dear Indians, Karachi par hamla karna ho to mobile phones India mein hi chhod kar aana.”
The implication? You won’t be needing them—because service interruptions and theft are real concerns.
Yet another tweet mockingly shared office coordinates, warning India not to target a specific Lahore address unless the user is conveniently absent: “Khabardaar agar India ne Lahore mein mere office par missile maara to… wo bhi us waqt jab mere alawa baaki sab log office mein hon. Himmat hai to karke dikhao.”
Cricket fans also joined the roast party, advising Indians to “watch Lahore Qalandars play before demanding Lahore,” pointing out the team’s laughable performance in the Pakistan Super League.
Amid the humorous takes, one tweet sarcastically declared: “Hum ne aadhi duniya ka qarza dena hai, isliye koi bhi India ko hum par hamla nahi karne dega” (We owe money to half the world—no one will let India attack us).
However, not all online chatter was in jest. A darker undercurrent ran parallel—one of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Some Pakistani users, including former political figures from Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), accused India of orchestrating a false flag operation. Alarmingly, AI-generated videos emerged online, distorting tragic scenes into bizarre and disrespectful dance edits, further fuelling fake narratives.
The misinformation wave has been widely condemned for its insensitivity and manipulation. While the humour may have offered a coping mechanism for some, the spread of fabricated content highlighted the dangers of digital propaganda in times of crisis.
