Areeba Fatima

Areeba Fatima is a senior fact-checker and investigative reporter. She studied Anthropology at Lahore University of Management Sciences. She has also worked with Fact Focus on an Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) investigation, the Suisse Secrets. She loves working with large datasets to extract meaningful information. She is interested in internet governance, financial crime, political corruption and emerging technologies.

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Claim: Former prime minister Imran Khan initiated the Mohmand Dam project. Fact: The idea behind the Mohmand Dam project was first initiated by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in 1963. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted the project’s feasibility study in 2000. The project was further modified considering the 2008 crisis and the […]

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Claim: Journalist Iqrar ul Hasan claimed that Imran Khan, in a recent interview, did not deny that the recently leaked audio clips were legitimate, implying he confessed they were real. Fact: The interview clip shared by Hasan was taken out of context. PTI spokespersons have formally denied the audio’s veracity in multiple forums on behalf […]

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Claim: Ahmad Noorani has reported that Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif gave General Bajwa a PKR 5 billion bribe to remove Imran Khan from power and disqualify him. Fact: Ahmad Noorani categorically denies reporting any such story. Soch Fact Check could not find any such information published in any newspaper online with his name. On […]

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Claim: According to a survey conducted by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), half of all Pakistanis will leave Pakistan if they have a chance Fact: PIDE’s November 2022 survey states that 37% of people answered yes to the question, “Would you leave Pakistan if given the chance?” On 14 December 2022, an Instagram […]

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Claim: The UAE has banned visitors from certain cities across Pakistan from entering on a visit visa. Fact: UAE immigration authorities have rejected the claim and confirmed that they have not banned visitors from any city in Pakistan. On 24 December 2022, several pages on Facebook and Instagram shared the claim that Pakistanis living in […]

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Claim: An official advertisement from the Government of Pakistan government’s says, “Dear world, thank you for playing with our balls.” Fact: A humorous image from 2018 recently reappeared online with user’sfalsely claiming it is  the Pakistan government’s official advertisement for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar. From 19 November, an image was shared […]

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Claim: A viral video claims The New York Times published a story with the headline,  ‘Due to security concerns in Pakistan, Pakistan’s former Army Chief General Bajwa moved to America with his family.’  Fact: The headline is doctored and the claim is false. The New York Times did not publish such a headline or story […]

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Claim: Assistant Commissioner Karor Lal Esan issued a letter to Tehsildar Muhammad Iqbal and Naib Tehsildars Naeem Ud Din, Muhammad Tahir and Baz Khan demanding an explanation for their failure to attend a rally organized to express solidarity with the Pakistan Army. The letter specified that in case of a lack of response, disciplinary proceedings […]

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Claim: Iffat Omar conducted a poll on Twitter, asking respondents if they would or would not elect Imran Khan as the next prime minister, and 96% of respondents said that they would. Fact: A fake account impersonating Iffat Omar posted this tweet, which was later shared by the verified account of journalist Imran Riaz Khan, […]

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Claim: Pakistan won the World Polo Championship 2022 by beating Mexico in the Final 11-8.  Fact: Spain won the World Polo Championship 2022. The Pakistan team defeated Mexico in a match 11-8, placing it in 5th position in the world cup rankings.  On 9 November 2022, a Twitter handle called @CPEC_UPDATE claimed that Pakistan had […]

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Claim: According to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the Daily Mail UK has not been able to prove the allegations its journalist David Rose leveled against Shehbaz Sharif and his son-in-law. She also stated that the Sharif’s have “already won the case on the stage of presentation”, and the British publication deliberately delayed the defamation case. […]

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Claim: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) medical director Dr Khalid Masud confirmed 12 torture marks on journalist Arshad Sharif’s body. Fact: Dr Khalid Masud told Soch Fact Check that he never confirmed whether the marks on Arshad Sharif’s body are a sign of torture.  Pakistani investigative journalist Arshad Sharif was murdered in Kenya, four […]

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