Claim: A video shared on social media shows people crying in the aftermath of an earthquake that struck Afghanistan in June 2022. Fact: The video was shared by multiple media outlets in 2021 and shows the Taliban celebrating after the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. On 23 June 2022, a video was shared […]
Claim: An image circulating on Facebook allegedly depicts limestone rocks located near Astola Island, a small island in Balochistan, Pakistan. Fact: The claim is false. The image is from Cabo San Lucas, a resort city at the southern tip of Mexico, where limestone rocks known as “El Arco” have formed over time as a result […]
Claim: A Muslim mother married her son in anger after a father married his daughter. Fact: The photos actually show the two (unrelated) parents standing with their respective children who either completed their first recitation of the Quran or finished memorising the Quran. On 3 July 2022, Facebook page ‘We Support Nupur Sharma’ posted the […]
Claim: Pakistan is a top destination for countries to dump their waste, with most countries opting to dispose of their waste in Pakistan. Fact: According to publicly available information, Pakistan’s relative share in the import of global waste is small. The misinformation appears connected to reports that 40 No Objection Certificates (“NOCs”) were issued to […]
Claim: Russian Consul General Andrey Fedorov has said his country “will provide oil on cheap rates if [the] Pakistan government contacted us” and confirmed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claim that his government was in talks with Russia to buy oil at a “30% discounted rate”. Fact: Fedorov made no such comment. At a press conference, the […]
Claim: A video shows Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma being arrested following her recent controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Fact: Nupur Sharma has not been arrested. The woman seen in the viral video has been identified as Bhumi Birmi, who, according to her Facebook profile, is district president of the women’s […]
Claim: A photo of a damaged road depicts the aftermath of a powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan on 21 June 2022. Fact: The photo actually shows a large crack in the road arising from a major earthquake that hit Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), also known as Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in September 2019. Fact […]
Claim: A photograph from a protest in India depicts Indian Muslim journalist Rana Ayyub being manhandled by a police officer. Fact: The photograph does not show journalist Rana Ayyub, but rather depicts Indian Muslim student activist Aysha Renna. The photo was taken in June 2022 in the city of Malappuram in Kerala. Fact or Fiction? […]
Claim: According to a viral WhatsApp message an Indian film called “Allaah Banday” will feature an actor portraying the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Fact: No such movie is in the works nor has India produced such a movie in the past. On 20 June 2022, Soch Fact Check received a forwarded chain message on WhatsApp containing […]
Claim: An image shared online allegedly shows Muslims in India burning the Indian flag after recent anti-Islam remarks by BJP leaders. Fact: The claim is false. The image actually shows people in Pakistan setting an Indian flag on fire during a protest over the BJP leaders remarks. Fact or Fiction? On 10 June 2022, Facebook […]
Claim: A video shared on social media sites allegedly depicts a Hindu mob beating Muslims in India in 2022. Fact: The claim is false and misleading. The video is actually from 2020 and shows an incident involving the mob lynching of a man falsely accused of kidnapping a child in India’s Madyah Pardesh province. On […]
Claim: The Government of Pakistan under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon allow the United States to use its airspace to carry out military operations in Afghanistan, according to a CNN report. Fact: The CNN article cited in viral claims is actually from October 2021. At that time, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to […]