Claim: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry described Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the late Pakistani nuclear scientist, as “fake,” a “joker,” and one of the “fake heroes” of Pakistan in 2012.
Fact: Chaudhry did in fact tweet that Dr Qadeer was “fake,” a “joker,” and one of the “fake heroes” of Pakistan in 2012; however, the minister has since deleted three of those tweets.
On 10 October 2021, the day Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan passed away after prolonged illness, Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the famed nuclear physicist’s “services to Pakistan are innumerable.”
ڈاکٹر عبدالقدیر خان کی رحلت پر پوری قوم افسردہ ہے، پاکستان کیلئے ان کی خدمات ان گنت ہیں۔۔۔ خدا غریق رحمت کرے آمین
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 10, 2021
Shortly afterwards, screenshots of the minister’s tweets from 2011 and 2012 began to emerge in which he can be seen describing the revered scientist as “fake,” a “joker,” and one of Pakistan’s “fake heroes.”
Social media users expressed shock at Chaudhry’s apparent hypocrisy but some — including supporters of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — alleged that the screenshots were doctored. At least six users claimed the same on Facebook.
Screenshots of Chaudhry’s tweets from 2011 and 2012; some of these tweets have now been deleted but archived on the Internet.
A Pakistani journalist also expressed doubt about the veracity of the screenshots on social media.
Soch Fact Check determined that the images of the tweets are, for the most part, authentic; however, the minister has now deleted three of the most-shared tweets in what appears to be a damage control tactic.
Chaudhry wrote at least six tweets that do indeed mention Dr Khan:
1. “Dr Qadeer is not accepted by PTI”
2. “It happens in Pak tht Jokers like Dr Qadeer & J CH becomes heroes for a section of society they do get expose only when damage is done”
3. “Im allergic to all fakes Dr qadeer is another”
4. “Dr Qadeer ko nai na Hockey team k sath bheja yeahi hona tha otherwise he wud put wat kit in hockeys n we would had blast”
5. “ás it is proved tht Waqar,Dr Qadeer, samar mobarik m rest of team were lying to nation on pani wali gadi ll thy pl apologize pl??”
6. “Nations real heroes are Dr Salam and Pervez Hoodbhai test of our future ll be when we replace fake heroes like Dr Qadeer with real heroes”
While the minister has deleted the second, third, and sixth tweets from the list above, these have been archived on the internet and can be found here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Conclusion: Fawad Chaudhry did in fact post the pejorative tweets about Dr Khan that are now being circulated online. The tweets were written in 2011 and 2012, with three of the most-shared posts having recently been deleted by the information minister.