Claim: Social media posts claims that Sheikh Rasheed, the founder of Awami Muslim League, is unwell and will not be attending Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march, which started in Lahore on 28 October 2022.
Fact: The claim is misleading. Sheikh Rasheed refuted the claim and shared a video message to say he has joined Imran Khan in Lahore and will attend the march from there instead of his hometown Rawalpindi.
On 27 October 2022, a Twitter user posted an image with the Express News logo. The text on the image reads,
“صحت کی خرابی کا معاملہ: لانگ مارچ میں شرکت نہیں کر سکتا، شیخ رشید”
[Case of ill health: Shaikh Rasheed cannot participate in the long march.]
Fact or Fiction?
The news went viral a day before PTI was set to start its long march from Lahore, Pakistan. However, Sheikh Rasheed posted a video message disputing the claim to his verified Twitter account on 27 October, 2022. The says he will participate in the long march from Lahore instead of his hometown Rawalpindi.
He also refuted the claim of his illness in a separate tweet posted on the same day.
The original image with the Express News logo could not be found on the publications online pages.
Virality
Claims that Sheikh Rasheed is ill and will not participate in PTI’s second long march have been shared on Facebook here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Ali Moeen Nawazish, writer and analyst also shared the false news on his verified Facebook account here.
On Twitter, the false news can be seen here, here, and here.
Conclusion: The news about Sheikh Rasheed not taking part in PTI’s long march due to poor health is false.