Claim: A picture claims to show that a woman, wearing the PTI’s colours and holding the party’s flag, is Sahar Ata Bandial, the daughter of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
Fact: The picture is of Tayyaba Raja, a PTI supporter and social media influencer. It does not show Sahar Bandial.
On 2 April 2023, Twitter user @MirzaMarri5 (archive) posted a picture of a woman in a white shalwar kameez, with a scarf in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) colours red and green around her neck, holding the party’s flag, and making a victory sign with her hand, along with the following caption:
“ان کا نام سحر عطا بندیال ہے اب سمجھ آئی کہ چیف جسٹس عمر عطا بندیال کیوں سپریم کورٹ کے 6 ججوں کی رائے کو مسترد کرکے تین رکنی بنچ پر کیوں اڑے ہوئے ہیں ؟ اپنے بچوں کا سیاسی مستقبل بنانے کے لیے قوم کے بچوں کا مستقبل داؤ پر لگانے والوں کو تاریخ کبھی معاف نہیں کرے گی۔
[Her name is Sahar Atta Bandial, now it is clear why Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial is sticking to the three-member bench by rejecting the opinion of 6 judges of the Supreme Court. History will never forgive those who risk the future of the nation’s children to make their children’s political future.]”
A controversy has marred the Supreme Court of Pakistan and its justices following a suo motu action by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial into a delay in elections to be conducted in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Some have claimed the apex judge has violated due process and, therefore, called for judicial reforms.
The issue has reached a point where the federal government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has demanded Bandial step down, as per recent reports (archive).
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check reverse-searched the image and came across the profile of Tayyaba Raja, a social media influencer and content creator who supports the PTI. Raja’s posts often feature her at protests organised by the party and, in some of these pictures, she is wearing the same clothes she is in the viral photo.
These can be viewed here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), and here (archive).
Moreover, Tayyaba Raja herself has refuted the claim (archive), writing, “Shame on you, patwarion [a term used for PML-N supporters]” for “making Chief Justice my father”.
Virality
The tweet by @MirzaMarri5 has been viewed more than 21,600 times. The image was shared here, here, here, here, and here on Twitter.
It was also shared here, here, here, and here on Facebook, with 233, 167, 162, and 231 shares, respectively.
Conclusion: The picture does not show Sahar Bandial but Tayyaba Raja, a PTI supporter and social media influencer.
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