Navigating fake news: Pakistan’s struggle to combat disinformation and bridging gaps for national security

Fake news poses a growing threat to national security worldwide, particularly in developing democracies like Pakistan. The study attempts to analyze the cybersecurity policies of Pakistan to counter disinformation in the digital domain and evaluates their effectiveness on the basis of the existing legal framework, technology-based interventions, and public awareness campaigns. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining survey data from 500 respondents, expert interviews with cybersecurity professionals, and secondary analysis of policy documents and an academic literature. Result shows that fake news is very common in Pakistan, social media including Facebook and WhatsApp are the main sources of circulating fake news. Result revealed that 78.4% of participants frequently encountered fake news, but only 39.5% could reliably detect it. It was revealed through comparative analysis that Pakistan is behind India, United Kingdom and the United States in useful technologies to find online lies and in teaching digital literacy. Strengthening Pakistan’s cybersecurity framework requires investment in AI-powered detection tools, enhanced public awareness campaigns and balanced implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, to protect both national security and civil liberties. The study contributes to global cybersecurity literature by offering actionable insights for digital governance in emerging democracies.