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| India-Pakistan |
| WikiLeaks hoax hits Pakistan media |
| 2010-12-11 |
| [Al Jazeera] Several leading Pak newspapers have acknowledged that they were hoaxed, after publishing reports based on fake WikiLeaks cables that contained crude anti-India propaganda. The reports, which featured prominently in several papers on Thursday, cited alleged US diplomatic cables as confirming many right-wing Pak views and conspiracy theories about the country's arch enemy India and the disputed Kashmire region. Much of Pakistain's media toes a pro-military, anti-Indian line, which was reflected by the papers' extensive coverage of the fake memos. The instigators of the hoax remain unclear, though the material appeared to have originated on a news website that features anti-Indian and pro-Pak articles. Purported facts The fake dispatches quoted the US ambassador in India as saying that "India was ready for war with Pakistain in 2004". The reports included details about India's alleged "anti-Pakistain activities" in the country's tribal areas and Afghanistan. In reaction to the false disclosures, Pakistain's foreign office, during a press briefing, said it was "already aware of Indian designs". The US state department's denial of the cable's authenticity led Pak media to retract their previous statements. The Express Tribune, which partners with the International Herald Tribune in Pakistain, said it "deeply regrets" having published the story. Other papers, as well as several TV channels, acknowledged the reports were false. Jang, which had carried the fake WikiLeaks on its front page, said, "It only goes to show how the media can get carried away in the heat of the moment without checking the facts". But The Nation ran an editorial saying the hoax had exposed "India's true face". The WikiLeaks disclosures have dominated Pak media since they appeared, with pundits highlighting elements that appear to confirm their stance on the country's military and politicians, as well as the influence of America and other countries on Pakistain's internal affairs. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Had the same thought there, a mad-libs generator so to speak like reading the newspaper in sim city but a bit more refined, had truthiness. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2010-12-11 10:55 |
| #2 If someone was kinda sharp in the guvmint, they would be releasing a lot of faked-up Wikileaks cables. It would be much more damaging to that twerp from the Antipodes than a whole collection of Scandis pissed off about condom usage, and anon1 would still get her fantasy fix. Just sayin'. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2010-12-11 09:11 |
| #1 Paging Dan Rather. Dan Rather to the white courtesy phone. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-12-11 01:09 |