Claim: An image posted online shows former KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi praying inside a jail cell.
Fact: This image is AI-generated, as indicated by the SynthID watermark. Additionally, no official reports or independently verifiable evidence have confirmed where Afridi is being held in custody.
Towards the end of October, social media users shared an image that shows Afridi praying in jail.
The main caption that was shared with the image in Urdu was:
س غیرت مند انسان کا اللہ مددگار ہو
یہ عمران خان کا سپاہی ہے یہ جھکے گا نہیں
[Translation: May Allah help this brave man. He is Imran Khan’s soldier. He will not bow down.]
Screenshot from viral Facebook post.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check searched for reliable news reports confirming where Afridi was being held in preventive custody but found no information establishing his location.
Visual Inconsistencies
A closer examination of the image revealed several visual inconsistencies that raised questions about its authenticity:
- The wall features blended textures,uneven patterns, and an irregular horizontal line, none of which appear consistent with a concrete surface.
- The vertical jail bars do not appear to align naturally with the surrounding prison structure, and seem to cut off awkwardly from the viewer’s perspective. The geometry of the bars also appears inconsistent with a realistic jail setting.
While none of these features are conclusive evidence, it lead to investigating the image’s authenticity further.
Image marked with the visual inconsistencies.
AI Detection Tools
To further assess the image’s authenticity, we analysed it using OpenAI’s image detection tool. The tool indicated that the image had been generated using Open AI’s tools, identifying a SynthID watermark originating from the company’s models.
Results obtained from OpenAI.
Virality
Soch Fact Check found the image circulating across social media platforms. It was shared by dozens of Facebook and Instagram users and pages, including in public groups.
One Facebook post featuring the image received 5.6K likes and 127 shares, while a post on X garnered 26.9K views.
On Instagram, the image received 733 likes and was reposted 57 times.
During Afridi’s time in preventive custody, we have debunked several other false claims circulating about the former KP chief minister.
Conclusion: The image is AI-generated, and no credible reports or photographic evidence have been found to establish where Sohail Afridi is being held in preventive custody.
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com