How Pakistan has mastered the art of projecting defeat as victory

Pakistan has repeatedly turned military defeats into narratives of victory, often ignoring actual outcomes while projecting external blame. From the 1947-48 Kashmir conflict to Operation Gibraltar in 1965, the 1971 Bangladesh war, Kargil in 1999, and recent confrontations, Pakistani leaders have used propaganda to maintain the illusion of success. Textbooks, media, and official statements distort history, portraying failures as triumphs. Military rulers like Pervez Musharraf and Asim Munir consolidated power by controlling narratives, the armed forces, and the government. This strategy of projecting “defeat into victory” has become a key feature of Pakistan’s civil-military relations, offering lessons for authoritarian leaders seeking to manipulate perception.