The four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May has entered a new battlefield: textbooks and misinformation. Pakistan has now added the war to its school curriculum, presenting a widely misleading version of events.

According to these textbooks, India started the conflict, the Pakistani army successfully destroyed Indian airbases, and, most controversially, Pakistan emerged as the victor. Experts say this portrayal is far from reality and represents a deliberate attempt to rewrite history for students.

It further states that India attacked Pakistan on 6 May 2025, allegedly accusing it of involvement in a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where civilians were reportedly killed. Pakistan’s version says it strongly denied these allegations, yet India carried out military operations on 7 May.

But in reality, after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting only the terror hideouts of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and PoK. Indian strikes were not meant for any civilians residing in Pakistan and deliberately avoided civilian structures.
Pakistani textbooks further claim that Pakistan only targeted Indian military posts.

In truth, Pakistan carried out drone strikes on Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, and 26 other locations, which included civilian areas.  India responded by striking key Pakistani sites, including the HQ-9 air defence system in Lahore, and bases in Sialkot and Islamabad. Finally, textbooks assert that Pakistani forces destroyed Indian airbases during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos on 10 May.

In reality, India retaliated with strikes on Murid, Nur Khan, Rafiqui, Sargodha, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan airbases, as well as Rawalpindi. Satellite images and videos provided by India confirmed the destruction, while most Pakistani attacks were intercepted by Indian air defences. Visuals of PM Modi at Adampur airbase with an intact MiG-29 and S-400 system clearly debunked Pakistan’s exaggerated claims.

Pakistan claims India begged for peace

Pakistan didn’t stop there. It further claimed that, after suffering heavy losses, India had no choice but to ask for peace, and that US President Donald Trump had to intervene to bring about a ceasefire. In reality, on May 10, US Vice President JD Vance called PM Narendra Modi to suggest truce talks. PM Modi made it clear that India would continue military action if Pakistan didn’t stop, rejecting any mediation.

 Later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed India that Pakistan was ready to halt hostilities. The ceasefire was directly negotiated between Indian and Pakistani DGMOs. The US only learned about the agreement from Pakistani sources, and Trump prematurely announced it on social media. India maintained that Washington played no real role in the talks.

False claim about Field Marshal honour

Pakistani textbooks claim that General Asim Munir was promoted to Field Marshal because of his brilliant performance in the war. In reality, his promotion was largely symbolic and political, aimed at showing a sense of “victory” and strengthening the military’s public image, rather than reflecting battlefield success.

Purpose of misleading information

By spreading such misinformation, Pakistan clearly aims to push propaganda among its citizens. The real reason behind India’s strike was the terrorist attacks on its soil carried out by terrorist groups operating from Pakistan.