The Role of Critical Discourse Analysis in Understanding Misinformation and Fake News in Pakistani Media

Misinformation and fake news have become pervasive issues in Pakistani media, influencing public perception, political discourse, and social behaviour. This paper applies Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine how misinformation is constructed, disseminated, and received in the Pakistani media landscape. Using Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model and Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach, this study explores the linguistic and ideological structures underlying fake news narratives. The findings reveal that misinformation is often framed through sensationalism, ideological bias, and rhetorical strategies that manipulate public opinion. The study contributes to understanding the role of language in shaping media discourse and suggests strategies for mitigating the effects of misinformation.