In a dramatic turn of events on Friday, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) announced that its official social media account was hacked, shortly after it posted claims about a strike by India causing heavy damage to the port. “The account was hacked! Karachi Port is safe and secure!” KPT clarified, dismissing earlier alarming statements.
The now-deleted post had claimed that Karachi Port suffered significant damage due to an Indian military strike, resulting in major property loss. It also mentioned that emergency response efforts were underway and that updates on restoration would follow. “Karachi Port has sustained heavy damage following a strike by India, resulting in unacceptable loss of property… We stand resilient,” the hacked post read.
Interestingly, just two hours before the false strike claim, the same handle had declared all such reports “completely false and baseless,” assuring that ship traffic, cargo handling, and port operations were continuing without disruption.
KPT is not the only Pakistani government entity hit by a cyber breach. The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) of Pakistan also experienced a similar attack. Their official account became inaccessible, displaying a message stating, “This account doesn’t exist. Try searching for another.”
Earlier, the EAD had claimed their account was compromised after a viral post emerged. The post claimed that the government of Pakistan was appealing to international partners for more loans, citing massive losses due to conflict with India. It added that the country’s stock markets were crashing and urged international stakeholders to assist in de-escalating tensions. “Amid escalating war and stocks crash, we urge international partners to help de-escalate. Nation urged to remain steadfast,” the controversial post said.
These developments unfold against a backdrop of growing hostilities between India and Pakistan. On Thursday, Pakistan reportedly launched missile and drone attacks targeting India’s Jammu, Rajasthan, and Punjab regions. However, Indian defense systems successfully intercepted all threats, preventing significant damage. These attacks were seen as retaliation for India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, carried out in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
The digital chaos and misinformation come at a critical time, escalating fears and underlining the role of cybersecurity amid geopolitical conflicts.
