"Account Hacked": Pakistan Dismisses Embarrassing Loan Request on X

Amid mounting pressure from India's ongoing Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's government has claimed that a viral social media post—appealing for international loans—was the result of a hack. The post, shared from an account believed to be operated by Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division, requested financial assistance from global partners, citing losses incurred after Indian strikes and a crashing stock market.

Shortly after the post gained traction, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a clarification via its Fact Checker handle on X, labeling the message "fake" and claiming the account was compromised. Despite this denial, Pakistan’s economic vulnerability remains evident. With an outstanding debt of approximately USD 8.8 billion, Pakistan ranks as the fourth-largest debtor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On Monday, global ratings agency Moody’s warned that continued military escalation with India could severely damage Pakistan’s economic growth and macroeconomic stability.

India's Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, continues to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. On the night of May 7–8, Indian defence forces successfully thwarted a large-scale aerial assault by Pakistan involving drones and missiles aimed at military installations across Northern and Western India. One of Pakistan’s key air defence systems in Lahore was reportedly neutralised during India's counteroffensive.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed during a press briefing that India’s Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems were fully activated to repel the coordinated attack. She stated that India retaliated with equal force and precision, targeting multiple Pakistani air defence radars.

“On the morning of May 9, Indian forces struck several air defence locations across Pakistan, with confirmed reports of a system in Lahore being neutralised. Our response mirrored the scale and nature of Pakistan's attempted aggression,” Colonel Qureshi said.

She also detailed that the attacks, aimed at strategic military bases including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, and Amritsar, among others, were fully neutralised. Debris from intercepted drones and missiles is being recovered and analysed across multiple Indian states.

Meanwhile, during the night of May 8–9, the Indian Army reported yet another wave of drone incursions and ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the western border. Over 50 Pakistani drones were intercepted and destroyed during the large-scale counter-drone operation, which covered key locations including Samba, Akhnoor, and Udhampur.

“Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple drone and munition-based attacks and violated ceasefire protocols along the LoC. The Indian Army responded decisively, ensuring the nation's territorial integrity remains uncompromised,” a statement from the Indian Army said.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: Pakistan Crumbles Under Pressure, Pleads For Global Loans