Pakistan hands out 488 medals for imaginary wins against India, ‘destruction’ of S-400 that never happened | WATCH

On its 79th Independence Day, Pakistan once again displayed its trademark mix of self-delusion and propaganda, turning a solemn national occasion into a show of lies. At a ceremony in Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif showered medals on civilian and military officials for their supposed “achievements” during the May conflict with India.

Among the many awards, one stood out as the most laughable – Wing Commander Malik Rizwan-Ul-Haq Iftikhar was felicitated for “destroying” India’s S-400 air defence system. A video of the ceremony went viral, with Pakistan’s prime minister personally handing over the honour.

#Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif proudly awards Wing Commander Muhammad Malik Rizwan ul Haq for “destroying” India’s S-400 system... yes, the very one showcased during PM Modi’s visit to Adampur Airbase, which funnily enough, remains so spotless it could be in a showroom. pic.twitter.com/DdFuuHwujM

— IDU (@defencealerts) August 14, 2025

The S-400 ‘destruction’ lie

For Pakistan, propping up this story was an attempt to save face after its humiliating failure to penetrate India’s defences during Operation Sindoor. The reality is starkly different.

When India launched the retaliatory strikes on May 7, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan scrambled to hit back between May 8–10. The Indian Air Force’s Russian-made S-400 Triumf proved to be the backbone of India’s shield, intercepting every Pakistani attempt. Far from being “destroyed,” the system earned the nickname India’s ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ after neutralising incoming threats.

Pakistani officials, desperate to cover up their embarrassment, circulated what they called a “satellite image” of a damaged S-400 at Punjab’s Adampur airbase. The claim was quickly debunked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself visited the airbase, standing alongside jawans as proof that not a single Indian S-400 was compromised.

As Wing Commander Vyomika Singh later said in a briefing: “Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.”

Watch: Addressing the Special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, "With claims being propagated on social media regarding the destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, the destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, the BrahMos base at… https://t.co/nz1cD3mQBfpic.twitter.com/8nWAYYZ9FF — IANS (@ians_india) May 10, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Adampur was more than symbolic. It not only boosted troop morale but also served as a direct rebuttal to Pakistan’s manufactured lies. Social media erupted with praise, calling it a “masterclass in fact-checking” as Pakistani propaganda collapsed in real time.

Netizens expose Pakistan’s shameless show

The latest Independence Day stunt in Islamabad has only fuelled further ridicule online.

“How do they even sleep at night after lying? Absolutely shameless,” one user posted. Another scoffed: “I wonder if any of them feel any shame taking these medals, knowing deep down inside they could not hit a single target.”

Others drew comparisons between India’s honouring of real war heroes like Wing Commander Rizwan Malik, awarded the Vir Chakra for his role in Operation Sindoor, and Pakistan’s farcical decoration of Rizwan-Ul-Haq for a faked victory.

Awards for everyone, even propagandists

If the S-400 medal wasn’t embarrassing enough, the Independence Day ceremony also turned into a medal-distribution carnival. A staggering 488 personnel from the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy were decorated. From Sitara-e-Jurat to Tamgha-i-Basalat, from COAS commendation cards to Nishan-e-Imtiaz, medals flowed like confetti.

Even ISI chief Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik and army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry were rewarded with Sitara-i-Basalat, not for any military feat, but for running Pakistan’s propaganda machine. Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed and Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz — spokespersons who briefed the media during the conflict — also walked away with medals.

Ministers and politicians were not left behind either. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and even former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari received top honours. In short, everybody who could spin Pakistan’s failures into “victories” got a prize.

A ceremony of lies

For Pakistan, August 14 should have been a day of reflection after its failed misadventure in May that nearly brought it to war. Instead, it chose to celebrate fiction over fact, handing medals for imaginary victories, rewarding propagandists, and feeding its public a diet of deceit.

India, meanwhile, stood unscathed, its S-400 intact, its defences proven, and its leadership showing the clarity and courage Pakistan sorely lacks.

Pakistan’s Independence Day spectacle was not a show of strength. It was an exhibition of insecurity, propaganda, and desperation -- proof once again that when it comes to the battlefield of facts, Islamabad remains its own worst enemy.