Anisa Shabir

Anisa Shabir is a senior fact-checker and open-source reporter at Soch Media. She also volunteers as an open-source researcher with Bellingcat's Global Authentication Project and previously worked as an investigative reporter at the Arizona State University’s Howard Center for Investigative Journalism. She was recognized for best community service project/reporting in the 2023 EPPY Awards and won the A-Mark Prize for Reporting on Misinformation and Disinformation. Her work has been featured in the Associated Press, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting (AZCIR), Cronkite News, and Dawn. She holds an MA in investigative journalism from Cronkite School on the Fulbright Scholarship Award.

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Claim: An image shows a Pakistani fighter aircraft shot down by Afghanistan amid the ongoing conflict between the countries. Fact: The image is not from the ongoing war between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is old and appeared online as early as January 2020. On 28 February, an X user posted an image that apparently showed […]

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Claim: A video shows an explosion in Nasir Bagh, Peshawar, in February 2026. Fact: The video was posted as far back as in July 2021, and likely depicting an incident at a port in Dubai. Moreover, there are no credible news reports to suggest that an explosion took place in Nasir Bagh, Peshawar recently. On […]

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Claim: A video shows Afghan women protesting and chanting in support of Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan recently. Fact: The video is old and unrelated to the airstrikes, having appeared in July 2023 amid reports of Afghan women protesting the Taliban ban on beauty salons. Moreover, the clip is likely dubbed as the original version doesn’t […]

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Claim: A video shows the US military buildup near Iran amid rising tensions between the two countries. Fact: The clip is unrelated to the current military buildup, and the various scenes that form the montage appeared as early as 2016. On 16 February, an X account posted a video (archive) purportedly showing the US military […]

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Claim: A video shows Afghanistan striking Pakistan in retaliation for airstrikes inside its territory in February 2026. Fact: The video is not recent. It likely shows a Russian attack on Ukraine as it was shared by publications indicating so in April 2025. On 25 February, an X user posted a video (archive) apparently showing Pakistan […]

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Claim: A video shows attacks on Indian army soldiers in the Poonch and Baramulla areas of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in February 2026. Fact: The clip does not show any recent attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir as it  appeared online as early as August 2024. Furthermore, no publications have reported on such an incident. […]

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Claim: A video shows supporters of Imran Khan marching in protective gear amid the February 2026 nationwide PTI protests. Fact: The clip is old and appeared as early as November 2024. On 16 February, an X user posted a video (archive) apparently showing PTI demonstrators in  protective gear. The description reads: “What is going on […]

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Claim: A video shows PTI protesters clashing with the police in Islamabad in February 2026. Fact: The clip is old and surfaced online as early as October 2024. On 14 February, an X user posted a video (archive) of protesters clashing with the police in Islamabad. When translated from Urdu into English, the caption states: […]

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Claim: A video shows Pakistan conducting airstrikes on militant camps inside Afghanistan on 21 February 2026. Fact: The clip is old and appeared as early as October 2025 in the context of Israeli strikes inside Lebanon. On 22 February, an X user posted a video (archive) purportedly showing the Pakistan Army conducting airstrikes on terrorist […]

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Claim: A video shows the first of US-Iran attacks amid the rising tension between the countries and the buildup of US military assets in the Middle East. Fact: The video is old and appeared online as early as October 2024, with posts and news reports linking it to an Iranian missile attack on Israel in […]

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Claim: A video shows clashes between security forces and protesters in Pakistan in February 2026. Fact: The clip is unrelated as it appeared online as early as October 2025. An Instagram user posted a video on 8 February (archive) purportedly showing recent clashes between security forces and protesters in Quetta, Balochistan. Another X user claimed […]

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Claim: An image shows Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum in January 2026. Fact: The image is likely AI-generated. Moreover, the Israeli prime minister did not attend the 2026 event in Davos, Switzerland. On 21 January, an X user posted an image (archive) […]

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