Claim: Google Trends predicted who would win the 2024 general election in Pakistan and that data proved that “PTI is on top”. Fact: Google Trends shows a summary of searches by people around the world; it can be narrowed down according to categories, time period, and location, among other filters. The FAQs page of Google […]
Claim: WikiLeaks has released a documentary on PTI founder Imran Khan after he was sentenced to 10 years and 14 years in jail in two separate cases pertaining to leaking state secrets and corruption, respectively. Fact: The documentary has nothing to do with Khan’s sentencing. It was originally aired in 2012. On 1 February 2024, […]
Claim: The Washington Post recently published an article titled, “Oops: Azerbaijan released election results before voting had even started.” Pakistani users have linked the alleged rigging hinted at in the article’s headline to the 2024 general elections. Fact: While the article is authentic, it is not recent, as The Washington Post published it in 2013. […]
Claim: On 6 February 2024, front pages of multiple Pakistani newspapers announced Nawaz Sharif as the next prime minister, claiming he was voted in by the people’s choice. Fact: The front page is an advertisement and not a news piece. Since the 2024 general elections in Pakistan are underway, it cannot be said that Nawaz […]
Claim: Nawaz Sharif boycotted the 2024 general elections in Pakistan in an emergency press conference on 7 February 2024. Fact: An old video clip from Nawaz Sharif’s press conference in July 2015 is being recycled to claim that it was taken right before the 2024 elections. On 7 February 2024, an X account posing to […]
Claim: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has ended its alliance with Jehangir Tareen’s Istehkam Party within Punjab. Fact: PML-N did not announce a political separation from Jehangir Tareen’s Istehkam Party. A fake account pretending to be PML-N’s official account posted a false statement on X. On 8 February 2024, an X user, @PMLNOFFICIAL published a post […]
Claim: A fatwa issued by Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi states that voting for JUI-F is ‘haram’ as they ask for votes in the name of religion. Fact: Darul Uloom Karachi did not issue such a fatwa. The image making rounds on social media is a doctored version of a fatwa about coronavirus prevention from 2020. […]
Claim: Alison Wills from Canada supports Nawaz Sharif and PML-N for the upcoming election in Pakistan. Fact: @Alisonwills27 is a fake account on X. On 5 February 2024, this post was shared on X by user @Alisonwills27 with the caption: “My name is Alison Wills. I’m from Canada and I Support Nawaz Sharif”. Fact or […]
Claim: Imran Khan was seen sporting a beard on 30 January 2024, the day he was sentenced to 10 years for “leaking state secrets”. Fact: A beard was edited onto Khan’s face in an image that was originally posted by PTI Central Legal Coordinator Mashal Yousafzai on 1 August 2023. On 30 January 2024, X […]
Claim: PML-N’s candidate for National Assembly from Chakwal, Major (r) Tahir Iqbal, said, “The person second to God is known as Mian Nawaz Sharif.” Fact: Major Iqbal’s remarks have been taken out of context and presented in a purposely trimmed video. Upon viewing a longer version of the clip, Iqbal in his speech praises Nawaz […]
Claim: A video shows a Pakistan Army helicopter being shot down by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Bolan, Balochistan. Fact: The video actually shows a Pakistan Navy helicopter crash in Gwadar, Balochistan from September 2023. Mach Attack On 29 January, Balochistan’s Interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai reported that security forces thwarted three coordinated terror […]
Claim: A video shows Pakistani politician and election candidate, Daniyal Aziz, slapping a cricket player. Fact: The video does not show Daniyal Aziz and it is not from Pakistan. It depicts a physical altercation between two Indian politicians. On 23 January 2024, the Facebook page ‘Pti Narowal’ posted (archive) a video showing an altercation that […]