Claim: The divorce rate in Pakistan has hit an all-time high, according to a recent survey. Fact: The divorce rate in Pakistan in 2021 has not hit an all-time high; the survey by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan cited in the news reports in question dates back to 2019. Moreover, that survey was based on the […]
Claim: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has said that South Asians love music but it’s “not easy to make South Asians pay” as they “want it for free only.” Fact: Ek did not make any such comment. The quote being attributed to him is “incorrect”, according to Asiatic Public Relations Network, the communications and public relations […]
Claim: A video doing the rounds on social media depicts Pakistani soldiers fighting in Siachen. Fact: The video is not of Pakistani soldiers fighting in Siachen. The caption shared alongside this video on Facebook states, “How Pakistan army fights enemy in Siachen,” implying that the characters in the video are members of the Pakistan armed […]
Claim: A viral image depicts Italian singer Julia Markin holding up her bra and asking people in a crowd how much they would be willing to pay for it. Fact: The image is in fact of Hollywood actress Katie Holmes re-enacting a scene from a historic protest. A facebook account run by user Taajob Mahar […]
Claim: Former Australian cricket player Ricky Ponting said, “[Indian] Money can’t buy success and Pakistan has proved that.” Fact: Ricky Ponting did not say Money can’t buy success. After the Indian cricket team failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 Cricket Worldcup 2021, a quote emerged on social media attributed to cricket commentator […]
Claim: The Government of Sindh has announced a public holiday on 4 November. Fact: The Sindh government has indeed announced that 4 November will be a holiday to mark the annual Diwali festival. However, the holiday applies only to Hindu employees of the provincial government. On 1 November 2021, claims that the Government of Sindh […]
Claim: A private bank shut down a transgender activist’s newly-opened account, claiming that her income did not comply with Shariah laws. Fact: The incident did occur but it dates back to January 2021; some websites have picked up the story and rehashed it as a new incident. News media website Pak 92 News on 29 […]
Claims: ● If consumed everyday, the leaves of the giloy plant prevent all types of disease for 80 years. ● The leaves have the ability to cure life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, within a few days. ● The giloy plant will be sold for the price of gold. ● Eating the leaves burns excess fat […]
Claim: A photo of a grave shows the final resting place of Liaquat Ali Khan, one of Pakistan’s founding fathers and the country’s first prime minister. Fact: The grave is in fact of Liaquat Ali Khan’s mother, Mahmuda Begum. On 28 September 2021, a Facebook user shared a photo of an old, crumbling grave, with […]
Claim: A video purportedly taken from the Burj Khalifa depicts Cyclone Shaheen thundering off the coast of Dubai. Fact: The video is in fact a rendering created by digital artist Brent Shavnore in 2019 using a still image captured in Miami, Florida in the United States. On 16 October 2021, a 24-second clip surfaced on […]
Claim: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has changed its policy requiring women to adopt their husband’s names as surnames after marriage. Fact: Women were previously not required to change their surnames but it was a practice encouraged unofficially. Rather, under the previous policy, women had to include their husband’s name in a mandatory […]
Claim: People in Pakistan can get free petrol for their cars after the discovery of a grand, new petrol reserve in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Fact: The reserve was in fact discovered in July 2021 and the specifics of the discovery differ slightly from what is claimed in the news piece. On 30 September 2021, […]