Old video of Imran Riaz talking to the media shared as recent
The video is from February 2023 when the journalist was released by a local court
Claim: A Facebook video claims that it shows journalist Imran Riaz Khan talking to the media when he returned home after being missing for four months.
Fact: The claim is false because the video is from February 2023, when Imran Riaz was freed from the FIA’s custody after the case against him was dismissed.
On 25 September 2023, a Facebook page Qudrat TV shared a video with the caption, “Imran Riaz Khan’s First Blasting Media Talk after being Released | عمران ریاض کی گفتگو Imran Riaz Khan Safe and Home: A Triumph Over Darkness.”
Imran Riaz Khan, a former TV anchor and now YouTuber, was arrested in May 2023 at the Sialkot airport as he was en route to Oman. He was arrested after violent protests broke out across the country following PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest on 9 May 2023.
Khan’s family approached the Lahore High Court for help with finding him. On 20 September, the court issued a “last warning” to the police to turn in the missing journalist by 26 September, a Tuesday. On 25 September 2023, the Sialkot Police posted on X (formerly Twitter) that journalist Imran Riaz Khan was safely recovered and is with his family. Later, the news was confirmed by his brother to Al-Jazeera.
Fact or Fiction?
In the 9-minute-long video, Imran Riaz is seen wearing an orange jacket and talking to the media, saying he was released by the court.
Soch Fact Check conducted a keyword search with “Imran Riaz media talk”. The results showed a YouTube video by Bol News from 3 February 2023. The video title reads, “Imran Riaz Khan Thrilling Statement | Mein Baaz Nahi Aunga”. He was arrested by the FIA on 2 February 2023 for criticising the state institutions but was released when the court dismissed the case. It was upon this release that Imran Riaz spoke to the media, that speech shown in the video is the same one shown in the false claim.
The same video clip was also shared here on Imran Riaz Khan’s YouTube channel in February 2023.
Furthermore, Khan’s lawyer, Mian Ashfaq Ali, uploaded a picture with the journalist after his 2023 return. In the picture, it can be seen that Imran Riaz has white hair and a beard and looks different from the old video.
Virality
The video with false claims can be seen here and here on Facebook.
Conclusion: Journalist Imran Riaz Khan did not talk to the media after he returned home from being missing for four months.
Background image in cover photo: Friday Times
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