Overview

• In a June 2025 address to the National Assembly, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif asserted that Pakistani “cyber warriors” switched off floodlights during an IPL match and accessed controls of Indian dam gates.
• The minister’s statements came without any public evidence and follow a track record of unverified claims, including earlier assertions about downing Indian jets based on social media posts.
• Indian netizens responded with sarcasm and memes, mocking the technical plausibility of hacking stadium lighting when Pakistan itself faces daily power cuts.
• Asif’s remarks arrived shortly after India’s Operation Sindoor targeted terror camps and Pakistani air bases, intensifying tensions between the two neighbours.
• Pakistan is currently struggling with severe nationwide electricity shortages, a stark contrast to the minister’s boast of cyber successes.