Claim: In a recent rally ahead of the 8 February 2024 elections, Asif Ali Zardari said the time has come now to replace Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari with a decent man who can run Pakistan. Fact: The video does not match the audio, which has been altered to include the name of Bilawal when Zardari was actually […]
Claim: Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has announced its support for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidates in the 8 February 2024 elections, following a statement made in favour of Imran Khan by the party’s chief Saad Rizvi. Fact: Noman Khalid, TLP’s candidate from NA-113 Sheikhupura-I, denied the claim. He said that TLP urges its supporters to vote for […]
Claim: A tweet implies that the ECP printed 260 million ballot papers for 128 million voters and 160 million of them are extra which can be used for rigging in general elections 2024. Fact: The claim is misleading because both national and provincial assemblies have separate ballot papers and each voter gets two ballot papers […]
Claim: Imran Khan was seen sporting a beard on 30 January 2024, the day he was sentenced to 10 years for “leaking state secrets”. Fact: A beard was edited onto Khan’s face in an image that was originally posted by PTI Central Legal Coordinator Mashal Yousafzai on 1 August 2023. On 30 January 2024, X […]
Claim: PML-N’s candidate for National Assembly from Chakwal, Major (r) Tahir Iqbal, said, “The person second to God is known as Mian Nawaz Sharif.” Fact: Major Iqbal’s remarks have been taken out of context and presented in a purposely trimmed video. Upon viewing a longer version of the clip, Iqbal in his speech praises Nawaz […]
Claim: Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that there is no possibility of any conspiracy in the presence of Army Chief General Asim Munir, in any case, Nawaz Sharif will be Pakistan’s next premier. Fact: Sharif’s statement has been misconstrued. He did not say that Nawaz Sharif will become the next prime minister because […]
Claim: A video shows PPP leader Khursheed Shah being hit with shoes during a campaign trail in his constituency ahead of the 2024 general elections. Fact: Shah was not hit with shoes during a recent campaign trail; the video is actually over five years old and, therefore, not breaking news. On January 2024, X (formerly […]
Claim: Analyst Michael Kugelman said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is “a top candidate to be the next premier not because he’s wildly popular – he certainly is – but more so because he’s played his cards right”. Fact: The BBC misquoted Kugelman in an article. In his original comment to the […]
Claim: A video shows a Pakistan Army helicopter being shot down by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Bolan, Balochistan. Fact: The video actually shows a Pakistan Navy helicopter crash in Gwadar, Balochistan from September 2023. Mach Attack On 29 January, Balochistan’s Interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai reported that security forces thwarted three coordinated terror […]
Claim: A video shows Pakistani politician and election candidate, Daniyal Aziz, slapping a cricket player. Fact: The video does not show Daniyal Aziz and it is not from Pakistan. It depicts a physical altercation between two Indian politicians. On 23 January 2024, the Facebook page ‘Pti Narowal’ posted (archive) a video showing an altercation that […]
Claim: A picture shows the father of PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, standing handcuffed after being arrested for stealing a buffalo. Fact: The picture actually shows the late Kashmiri separatist leader Maqbool Bhat, who was arrested in 1976 and executed on 11 February 1984. On 27 January 2024, Facebook user ‘Kamred Aslam Khaskheli’ […]
Claim: Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said the 16 January attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province were carried out with the knowledge of the Government of Pakistan and in collaboration with Pakistan’s armed forces. Fact: The claim is false. Neither did Iran’s Foreign Minister say that the attack in Balochistan on 16 January was carried […]