Claim: A doctor displayed anger and frustration at the government after witnessing casualties from the recent PTI protest at D-Chowk.
Fact: The video is from 2021 and shows the doctor criticising Imran Khan and the PTI government at the time following a TLP protest.It is not related to the recent PTI protest at D-Chowk.
On 27 November, X user @SyedHiDr7 shared a video (archive) on X, writing, “حکومت کا نہتے کارکنان پر بدترین ظلم دیکھ کر ایک ڈاکٹر بھی چیخ اُٹھا 📢
’ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ ‘‘ اور اللہ ظالموں کو پسند نہیں کرتا ہے۔(آل عمران:57
#DChowk #ImranKhanFinalCall
#Islamabad_D_Chowk
#IslamabadMassacre”
[Translated from Urdu: Seeing the worst cruelty of the government on innocent workers, a doctor also cried out 📢
And Allah does not love the wrongdoers. (Al-Imran: 57)]
The video shows a doctor being interviewed while surrounded by a group of people, saying: “But I would love to say by seeing this situation, this is not Rasulullah’s Madinah. This is not Riyasat-e-Madinah and please don’t quote Muhammad Sallalahu Alayhi wa Sallam next time. Don’t quote any Hadith from Sallalahu Alayhi wa Sallam, Imran Khan. You are not supposed to utter a word of Muhammad Sallalahu Alayhi wa Sallam from your bloody mouth.”
The camera then pans out, showing crowds of injured people lying down or sitting in what appears to be a mosque. Some have bandages wrapped around their heads, and drip stands are also visible.
PTI protest in Islamabad
Imran Khan, the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) founder and former prime minister, called on his supporters to gather for a protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad on 24 November 2024. In response, party leaders and supporters began mobilising from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Punjab towards the capital.
Read more: Islamabad Police did not chant Imran Khan’s name while marching
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued stern warnings against entering D-Chowk, with the police and law enforcement agencies deploying aggressive crowd control tactics. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters attempting to enter the area, actions which critics argue violated the right to peaceful assembly. According to the BBC, at least six people were killed during the confrontation.
Recently, Dawn reported that, the number of casualties among PTI marchers remains a significant point of dispute between the government and the PTI. The party has claimed that 6 to 20 supporters lost their lives due to law enforcement action, while the government has denied any fatalities. Burials of several alleged victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were reported, but no autopsies were conducted, the report added.
On 26 November, Islamabad was cleared of protesters after the army was deployed and the Interior Ministry issued a notification invoking Article 245. The PTI announced a temporary suspension of the protest on the following day, citing “government brutality” and the authorities’ plans to turn the capital into a “slaughterhouse,” The Guardian reported. The party claimed dozens were killed in live firing by police and the army on Tuesday night, and released the names of eight victims then. “The Guardian could not verify PTI’s figures of the dead,” the report added.
As many as 500 PTI workers and supporters were arrested. In light of the government’s response, “Amnesty International called for a prompt, thorough, impartial, effective and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries of protesters as well as the unlawful use of force including lethal and less-lethal weapons by security personnel.”
Read more: No, these images have no connection to the PTI’s protest in Islamabad
Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Amer Farooq criticised the government’s mishandling of law and order during the 24 November protest, accusing authorities of unnecessarily shutting down the city and failing to protect fundamental rights, including business operations. He emphasised accountability for both the government and PTI and directed the Ministry of Interior to submit a detailed report.
As of 7 December, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) ordered the imprisonment of 17 PTI activists who were arrested during the D-Chowk protests following the completion of their 11-day physical remand.
Soch Fact Check has not yet been able to verify the number of deaths and injuries due to the internet shutdown and widespread press censorship.
The country has since been experiencing widespread internet slowdowns, with disruptions reported on popular social media platforms, according to Aaj News. The disruptions are believed to be linked to the second phase of firewall testing, reportedly aimed at monitoring and regulating internet content amid politically charged narratives following PTI protests, reported Dawn. While the government denies using the firewall for censorship, critics argue that the lack of transparency raises concerns about curbing online freedoms. Economic losses due to such disruptions are estimated at $2.2 million per hour, significantly impacting the IT sector and gig economy.
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja dismissed concerns about internet slowdowns and clarified that the firewall is part of long-standing cyber security measures. The government also confirmed it has no plans to ban VPNs, encouraging users to register for secure access. However, reports of a task force investigating alleged “propaganda” about the PTI protests highlight ongoing efforts to manage politically sensitive content online, added the Dawn report.
Fact or Fiction?
While the caption of the post claimed that the video shows a doctor expressing anger at the government over the casualties at PTI’s November protest at D-Chowk, we noted that he can be heard expressing anger towards Imran Khan. To investigate, we reverse-searched keyframes from the video and discovered it had been uploaded to YouTube as early as 18 April 2021, with the title “Every one must listen views of doctors during treatment in Masjid Rehmat al Alameen #shorts”.
The video was also shared on X on 18 April 2021 with the caption, “Every one must listen views of doctors during treetment in Masjid Rehmat al Alameen.”
A Dawn report published on 18 April 2021 revealed that the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had staged protests at the time to demand the expulsion of the French ambassador in response to perceived blasphemous acts in France, the release of their leader, Saad Rizvi, and that the government lifts the ban on their organisation. The report added that these demands escalated into violent demonstrations, leading to clashes with law enforcement.
In Lahore, the epicentre of the conflict was the Rehmatul Lil Alameen Mosque in Yateem Khana Chowk, which served as the TLP’s headquarters, according to Dawn. Violence had erupted when TLP supporters reportedly attacked a police station, abducting a deputy superintendent of police and other officials. In retaliation, police and Rangers launched an operation to regain control. The TLP claimed that the police had fired on their protesters, resulting in casualties. Law enforcement, on the other hand, stated that they acted in self-defence after being attacked with petrol bombs and other weapons.
Virality:
The claim was shared here, here, here, here, and here on X. Archived here, here, here, here, and here.
On Facebook, it was shared here, here, and here.
Conclusion: The claim that a video shows a doctor expressing anger at the government over casualties from PTI’s November protest at D-Chowk is false. The video is from TLP’s protests in Lahore in April 2021 and shows the doctor criticising Imran Khan and the PTI government at that time.
–
Background image in cover photo: AFP
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com