Mainstream Media Misreports Civilian Killed in Poonch Shelling as A Terrorist  

In wake of the precision strike by India in several locations in Pakistan, many mainstream media outlets and social media posts in India claimed that among those killed in Operation Sindoor on May 7 was one Maulana Mohd Iqbal, an LeT terrorist. Flashing the image of a slain man with a bloodied face, reports claimed that the ‘terrorist’ was killed in the Kotli terror camp in PoK.

Among the mainstream media outlets that identified the deceased as a terrorist include Republic, CNN- News 18, India News.

Heavy Shelling in Poonch Targeted Civilians

During the nights of May 7 and 8, 2025, Pakistani forces launched intense artillery and mortar shelling across the Line of Control, with Poonch district suffering the heaviest impact. Civilian areas-including homes, schools, and religious sites-were directly targeted, resulting in significant casualties. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 16 civilians were killed, including three women and six children, while dozens more were injured. The shelling also caused extensive damage to property and forced many residents to seek shelter in bunkers or evacuate to safer areas.

Among those killed was Maulana Mohd Iqbal, a respected local religious teacher at Madrasa Zia-ul-Uloom in Poonch city.

Media Misreports Civilian Death as Terrorist Killing

Some national TV channels and social media posts falsely reported that Maulana Mohd Iqbal was a terrorist killed by security forces during Operation Sindoor in PoK’s Kotli terror camp. These reports were circulated widely, with channels such as Republic and News18 airing claims that he was a terrorist eliminated in the operation.

Official Police Statement Refutes Terror Link

The Poonch Police issued an official clarification strongly denying any terror links to Maulana Mohd Iqbal. The police described him as a 46-year-old respected religious figure, with no affiliation to any terror outfit, who died as a result of cross-border shelling by Pakistan while at the madrasa. The police warned that spreading such false narratives was both misleading and insensitive, and legal action could be taken against those responsible for misinformation. “The deceased was a respected religious figure in the local community and had no affiliation with any terror outfit,” the police statement read.

Deeply hurt, say family

Eyewitness accounts and statements from Maulana Iqbal’s family further confirm his civilian status. His nephew, Tariq Manzoor, who is also the sarpanch of Baila, stated “He was the Qari-e-Quran in Jamia Ziaul Uloom for the past 25 years, and is a reputed scholar in the region… we were shocked and deeply hurt to see his face being telecast in mainstream media channels as a terrorist. The whole family and the locality is mourning his loss”.

“It was a very unfortunate incident. This is fake news targeting him. He was killed in the shelling from the Pakistan side yesterday morning. He is a reputed man well known in Poonch and is part of an institution called Jamia Ziaul Uloom. He was a close contact of my cousin who also runs an educational institution and was well respected in the community,” said Majid Nazir, advocate, Poonch.

Conclusion

Maulana Mohd Iqbal, who was named in these reports, was a local religious leader and a civilian victim of cross-border shelling by Pakistan, as confirmed by the Poonch Police, his family, and eyewitnesses. There is no evidence to support claims of his involvement in terrorism.

Sources

Poonch Police official statement
Conversation with family member of the deceased Maulana Mohd Iqbal
Conversation with Poonch based Advocate Majid Nazir
Media reports on civilian casualties during shelling