Claim: The Government of Punjab announced that all educational institutions will remain closed from 25 January to 28 January 2024. Fact: Educational institutions are to remain open since no formal government notification was issued. On 24 January 2024, news started to spread that all educational institutions in Punjab have been recommended to close from 25 […]
Claim: PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal was hit by a shoe at a public rally as he began his campaign for the upcoming elections. Fact: The video is from March 2021, outside the National Assembly. There are no recent, credible news reports about Iqbal being attacked while campaigning. On 14 January 2024, vlogger Sabee Kazmi shared […]
Claim: The President of Pakistan pardoned Imran Khan’s sentence. Fact: The President of Pakistan has not pardoned Imran Khan’s sentence. An excerpt from Babar Awan’s press conference was shared on X with a false caption claiming that President Arif Alvi has pardoned Imran Khan’s sentence. On 22 January 2024, City42 and 24 News HD shared […]
Claim: A fatwa issued ahead of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan advises that it is better to vote for a Muslim candidate than a non-Muslim one. Fact: The fatwa was not issued recently. It was seemingly issued in 2018 in response to a question about PPP leader Hari Ram Kishori Lal’s candidacy. However, it […]
Claim: Nawaz Sharif is the most popular leader in the country with a 60% approval rating, while Imran Khan is only at 53%, according to a recent survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan. Fact: According to the survey by Gallup Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif’s national positive approval rating has risen from 36% to 52% and Imran Khan’s […]
Claim: Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail is joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Fact: Contrary to the popular claim that he is joining the PPP, Ismail is actually taking a break from politics. On 11 January 2024, a video clip of Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, the Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar meeting […]
Claim: A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehr Muhammad Waseem withdrew from Lahore’s NA-119 in favour of PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz. Fact: PTI’s candidate for Maryam Nawaz’s constituency was not Mehr Muhammad Waseem. On 21 January 2024, Geo News and Express Tribune, published articles titled “’Breakthrough’ for PML-N as PTI candidate withdraws in favour of Maryam Nawaz”, […]
Claim: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said that according to the United Nations’ Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID), there are approximately 50 cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Fact: Kakar’s statement is misleading; the WGEID’s recent report cited 1,635 enforced disappearances in Pakistan but did not specify Balochistan’s figures. In 2016, […]
Claim: There are two claims about the same image: A viral image shows a bloody doctor’s coat belonging to a female doctor who was killed during an attack in Parachinar, KP. Dr Mahrang Baloch, an activist against enforced disappearances, shared the false image to mislead people about the recent attack in Parachinar. Fact: These claims […]
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 social media platform X has “lashed out” at the Government of Pakistan and “called out” Murtaza Solangi over his post regarding an article written by Imran Khan for The Economist and advised him to “Verify Facts Before Sharing”. Fact: X has not “lashed out” at the Government of Pakistan or “called out” Murtaza Solangi. […]
Claim: Imtiaz Alam is contesting election from the constituency NA-161 Bahawalnagar on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ticket. Fact: Imtiaz Alam is contesting in the upcoming general election from the constituency NA-161 Bahawalnagar on the Haqooq-e-Khalq party’s ticket. On 12 January 2024, several posts on X claimed that former journalist Imtiaz Alam is running for the February 2024 […]