Claim: Crusteez Donuts in Islamabad was sealed after an employee allegedly disrespected Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa.
Fact: The claim is false. The image of the sealed F-6 Markaz Crusteez outlet is from September 11, 2024, and is unrelated to the incident involving Justice Isa, which took place at the Blue Area Crusteez outlet. The sealing was due to a violation of anti-dengue Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
On September 25, 2024, a video began circulating on social media platforms. It appears to have been recorded by an employee of Crusteez Donuts in Islamabad, showing Justice Qazi Faez Isa with his family. When his daughter begins to place the order, the employee remarks “Aap Isa Faez hain?” [Are you Isa Faez?], not receiving a direct response, he repeated his question. To this Qazi Faez Isa replied, “Kiun?” [Why?], and the employee responds, “Laanat ho aap pe.” [Curse you].
Shortly after, an image of a sealed Crusteez outlet started making rounds, with claims that the shop had been closed due to this incident.
Several social media users, including some with apparent political affiliations, shared the image along with captions suggesting a direct connection between the alleged disrespect towards the Chief Justice and the sealing of the shop.
Crusteez also issued a public statement stating that they are committed to treating every customer with respect and fairness. “We are aware of a video circulating where an employee refused service to a customer. This action was an individual decision and does not reflect our company’s values. We are investigating the situation to understand the context fully,” it said, referring to the incident. It does not mention that any branches were sealed.
Background
Since assuming the role of Chief Justice in September 2023, Justice Isa has taken positions that many, particularly PTI supporters, have criticised. Notably, after PTI workers and supporters clashed with law enforcement during the May 9 riots, the party sought judicial intervention to address perceived injustices. The PTI has since claimed that the judiciary, under Justice Isa, has failed to address their grievances about alleged mistreatment of party members. The PTI Chairman Imran Khan has also accused Qazi Faez Isa of indirectly benefiting from recent constitutional amendments, which he claims aim to weaken the powers of the Chief Justice and prevent PTI from regaining political ground.
Fact or Fiction?
Upon investigation, Soch Fact Check found these claims to be false. The image of the sealed Crusteez outlet is actually from September 11, 2024, nearly two weeks before the incident with the Chief Justice went viral.
The circular windows which appear in the video in the claim, are also seen in other videos published on social media claiming to be at the same Crusteez location.
The F-6 branch was sealed due to violations of anti-dengue SOPs, not because of any disrespect shown to the Chief Justice. Through a reverse image search, we found an X post published on 11 September 2024 by Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon. Memon had shared the image of the sealed outlet on his official X account on September 11, 2024, with the caption: “Action taken in F6 for violation of anti-dengue SOPs. One outlet sealed, one person arrested. DC Islamabad directed to continue strict actions against breeding of larvae.”
According to an employee of the shop, Soch Fact Check spoke to over the phone, the branch was reopened a few days later. This sealing occurred at the Crusteez branch in F-6 Markaz, Islamabad, while the incident involving Chief Justice Isa took place at the Blue Area branch.
As of September 26, 2024, the Blue Area branch of Crusteez, where the alleged incident with the Chief Justice took place, remains open and operational.
Virality
The false claim linking the sealing of Crusteez to the alleged incident with Chief Justice Isa spread rapidly across social media platforms. X user Ehtesham Ali Abbasi shared the video on Wednesday, where it received more than 750,000 views and 7,500 shares. The claim was picked up by several digital media outlets and shared widely on Facebook and other social media platforms.
Conclusion: Crusteez Donuts in Islamabad was not sealed as a result of an employee allegedly disrespecting Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The viral image of the sealed shop is from an unrelated incident on September 11, 2024, involving violations of anti-dengue SOPs at a different branch.
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Background image in cover photo: Facebook
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