Pakistan Army Chief gifts fake war image to PM Shehbaz Sharif, sparks online mockery
New Delhi: In a major embarrassment for the Pakistan Army, a photograph gifted by Army Chief General Asim Munir to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif—claimed to depict Pakistani military action against India—has been revealed to be from a Chinese military drill held in 2017. The image, presented as part of a framed souvenir during a high-profile “victory” dinner hosted by the Army Chief, quickly drew criticism and ridicule after users on social media identified the error.
The report, first aggregated by The Print, states that the event was held on Saturday to honour Pakistan’s political leadership and the armed forces' "unwavering commitment". Among those present were President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, federal ministers, governors, chief ministers, and top military officials including service chiefs and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
A photograph from the event showing both Munir and Sharif holding the framed image soon went viral on social media. Observers were quick to point out that the picture did not depict the Pakistani Army, but was actually from a Chinese military exercise. This revelation has since sparked widespread criticism and mockery online.
Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui was among the first to flag the issue. Quoted by The Print, Siddiqui posted on X (formerly Twitter), “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.”
In a conversation with The Print, Siddiqui explained how he discovered the discrepancy. “I saw the original photo being shared by local media in Pakistan and then saw other accounts sharing that it may be Chinese weaponry. Following which I did some reverse Google imaging and voila: It was indeed a Chinese arms photo from some years ago,” he said.
Several users online described the blunder as “meme-worthy,” calling it symbolic of the growing gap between Pakistan’s military narrative and reality. One user wrote, “This is more than a meme-worthy blunder—it’s a systemic tell. When Pakistan’s top general gifts the Prime Minister a recycled Chinese artillery image as ‘proof of success’, it reveals how disconnected their narrative machine is from operational truth.”
Siddiqui, now in exile, told The Print that the choice of image might also be a subtle attempt to flatter China, Pakistan’s key defence supplier. “Using Chinese imagery could be a way to say thank you,” he speculated, suggesting it may have been aimed at appealing to Beijing, which is also embroiled in its own border tensions with India.
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Passing out parade held at IMA Dehradun, 491 young officers join Indian Army
Dehradun(PTI): After undergoing rigorous training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, 491 cadets participated in a grand Passing Out Parade on Saturday and will now be commissioned as officers in the Indian Army.
The spectacular parade, held at the historic Drill Square in front of the academy's Chatwood Building, was reviewed by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who served as the reviewing officer.
Along with 491 Indian cadets, 34 foreign cadets from 14 friendly countries also participated in the Autumn Term 2025 Passing Out Parade.
A total of 525 officer cadets from the 157th Regular Course, 46th Technical Entry Scheme, 140th Technical Graduate Course, 55th Special Commissioned Officers Course, and Territorial Army Online Entrance Exam 2023 Course participated in the Passing Out Parade.
The 'Sword of Honour' and gold medal for securing first place during training was awarded to ACA Nishkal Dwivedi, the silver medal to BUO Badal Yadav for second place, and the bronze medal to SUO Kamaljeet Singh for third place.
The silver medal for securing first place in the 'Technical Graduate Course' was awarded to Officer Cadet Jadhav Sujit Sampat, and the silver medal for first place in the 'Technical Entry Scheme-46' was awarded to WCC Abhinav Mehrotra.
The silver medal for the 'Special Commission Officer Course' was given to Officer Cadet Sunil Kumar Chhetri.
Among the foreign cadets, the first place in merit was secured by JUO Mohammad Safin Ashraf from Bangladesh. The Army Chief's Banner for overall best performance in the Autumn Term was awarded to Imphal Company.
As the parade concluded, helicopters showered flowers on the newly commissioned officers from the sky.
On this occasion, General Dwivedi congratulated the new officers in his address for successfully completing their training. He praised the young officers for their high level of discipline, leadership qualities, and endurance, and urged them to uphold the glorious traditions of the Indian Army and serve the nation with loyalty, commitment, and honour.
General Dwivedi said that joining the army marks the beginning of a lifelong duty and selfless service.
The parents and guardians of the newly commissioned officers were also present during the passing out parade.
