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: China removed Pakistan from its list of visa-free entry countries. Fact: This is not true as Pakistan was never part of China’s list of visa-exempt countries. Only diplomatic and official passport holders are exempt from the requirement for up to 30 days. An X user, “@RealWahidaAFG,” claimed on X (archive) that China had issued […]

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Claim: A video shows Hyrbyair Marri admitting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi funds terrorist activities in Balochistan. Fact: The video has tell-tale signs of AI manipulation. On 4 July, X user @War_Analysts posted a video (archive) that purportedly showed Hyrbyair Marri complaining that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stopped funding the efforts aimed […]

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Claim: Siasat.pk quoted lawyer Imaan Mazari as saying that Punjabis killed by the proscribed militant group the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) are not martyrs. Fact: Siasat.pk did not report any such statement by Imaan Mazari. The image in the claim is doctored and the statement has been falsely attributed to the lawyer. On 12 July, […]

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Claim: A video shows a recent attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump. Fact: The video shows an attempt on Trump’s life, which took place in July 2024, during his presidential election campaign. No credible news reports say that another attempt on the US President’s life took place recently. On 23 June, a Facebook user […]

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Claim: A video shows Israeli citizens asking Iran for forgiveness, following Iran’s retaliatory strikes during the recent escalation between the two countries. Fact: The video of the crowd chanting such slogans is not authentic. It contains telltale signs of AI-generated media. An Instagram user “mbashir.afridi” posted a video (archive) that apparently showed an Israeli crowd […]

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Claim: A video shows Iranians celebrating and thanking Pakistan for their victory over Israel. Fact: The video is likely AI-generated. A Facebook user posted a video (archive) apparently showing a crowd waving Iranian and Pakistani flags and expressing gratitude. “Thanking Pakistan for Iran’s victory”, reads the caption of the video when translated from Urdu. Posts […]

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Claim: A video shows Pakistan has deployed its air force along the border with Iran as a precautionary measure during the Israel-Iran conflict. Fact: The video predates the recent Israel-Iran conflict and, therefore, is unrelated to it. On 13 June, an X user posted a video (archive) depicting two fighter jets taking off from a […]

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Claim: A video shows an Iranian drone hitting a building in Tel Aviv, Israel, in June 2025. Fact: The footage predates the recent Israel-Iran conflict. According to news reports, it shows a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, from October 2022. On 15 June 2025, a Facebook user, “Iran Military”, shared footage (archive) that apparently shows […]

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Claim: A video shows Iran’s retaliatory strikes on an oil refinery in Haifa, Israel, amid the ongoing war between the Middle Eastern countries. Fact: The video is nearly a decade old and unrelated to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. An Instagram user “oppositioniran” shared footage (archive), claiming that it showed [translated from Persian]: […]

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Claim: Footage shows Israeli missiles targeting Iran on 13 June 2025. Fact: The video appeared online at least eight months ago and is unrelated to Israel’s offensive against Iran on 13 June. On 13 June, X user @saed_anzy posted a video (archive) purportedly showing Israel’s attack on Iran. The description stated [translated from Arabic]: “Despite […]

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Claim: Video shows Yemen’s missile strikes on Israel. Fact: The video is old and likely shows Iran’s missile attack on Israel, carried out in October 2024. A Facebook user recently posted a video that purportedly showed Yemen’s attack on Israel. The Urdu caption alongside the post reads: یمن کا اسرائیل پر میزائل حملہ  [Translation: “Yemen’s […]

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Claim: A massive explosion in the video shows Russia attacking Ukraine. Fact: Footage shows a volcanic eruption that occurred at Mount Etna in Italy earlier this month. A Facebook user shared a video depicting a massive explosion, and the caption accompanying the footage claims it shows Russia attacking Ukraine: “According to reports, Russia has fired […]

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