Claim: Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that if Pakistan and Iraq do not take Iran’s warnings seriously, they will hit them again. Fact: The statement has been falsely attributed to the Iranian foreign minister. A similar statement was issued by the Defence Minister of Iran, Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani who said that Iran […]
Claim: Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan is on financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s list; court documents identifying his associates are now public. Fact: Khan’s name is not on the list and the evidence presented in the viral post does not prove his connection with Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein scandal Financier Jeffrey Epstein, born on 20 […]
Claim: A screenshot of a Siasat.pk social media post states that fashion designer and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporter Khadijah Shah holds Imran Khan and his party responsible for her arrest. In the statement, Shah urged people not to attack the state by falling prey to a cult of personality, asking them not to attack the […]
Claim: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has changed the process for obtaining a Child Registration Certificate (CRC), also known as the B-Form. A new law in 2024 specifies that these certificates will be issued only to children under the age of seven. Fact: The authority has not changed the process of obtaining a […]
Claim: A screenshot of an Urdu Point’s social media post states that Peshawar High Court’s Chief Justice, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan offered politician Zartaj Gul to stay at his house if she fears arrest. Fact: The screenshot is doctored. The judge did not make any such statement. Fact or Fiction? On 4 January 2024, journalist Najam […]
Claim: A video shows a woman from India surrounded by multiple men being harassed, touched inappropriately and manhandled. Fact: The video is from Pakistan, and not India. It’s from August 2021 when a female TikToker was assaulted and harassed in Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore on Independence Day. [Trigger warning: This fact-check contains content pertaining […]
Claim: Germany’s new law has mandated that foreigners seeking German citizenship must recognise Israel. Fact: Only one state, Saxony-Anhalt, has set the prerequisite for aspiring citizens to affirm Israel’s right to exist before getting a German passport. The draft law is still being debated in the German parliament, and has not been implemented across the […]
Claim: A video shows singer Muhammad Ashraf Malik, also commonly known as Malkoo, under arrest after performing at a concert in Sargodha. Fact: The singer was not arrested, but was in fact escorted out of the venue by the Sargodha Police. Fact or Fiction? On 14 December 2023, X (formerly Twitter) user Shakir Mehmood Awan […]
Claim: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule for the upcoming general elections, scheduled for 8 February 2024. Fact: In a press release, on December 10, 2023, the ECP clarified that the schedule circulating on social media is false. The schedule was officially released on 16 December. Fact or Fiction? On 10 […]
Claim: A screenshot circulating online shows that Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has confirmed the death of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and offered his condolences via a tweet. Fact: The screenshot shows a tweet by a fake account on X called @anwaar_kakkar. Kakar’s official account on the platform is @anwaar_kakar. Fact or Fiction: On […]
Claim: Starbucks will be closing seven locations in Downtown San Francisco, California following a boycott of the coffee giant for being pro-Israel. Fact: The closure of seven branches of Starbucks in San Francisco was announced before Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October. The stores are not closing down due to the boycott against “Zionist” […]
Claim: A video shows Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President, Maryam Nawaz dancing. Fact: The video is a deepfake altered by replacing the dancer’s face with Maryam Nawaz’s to create the impression that she is the one dancing. It actually shows Indonesian model, Jihane Almira Chedid. How are deepfakes created? An article published by […]