- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 16 May 2025 11:08 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
In yet another international embarrassment for the country, Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has been fact-checked by the media of his nation following a quote of false news quote in the Senate. In a recent speech, Dar complimented the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by referencing a false front page of the UK-based newspaper The Daily Telegraph, a page that never existed. On Thursday, Dar spoke in the Senate and complimented the Pakistan Air Force, stating, "Telegraph writes Pakistan Air Force is the undisputed king of the skies." He referred to what he said was a cover story in The Daily Telegraph praising PAF for its supremacy over India after the recent buildup of military tensions.
But the page he was referring to, widely posted on social media since May 10 was soon revealed to be an edited one. The photo, purported to be a Telegraph headline proclaiming PAF the "King of the Skies," was full of mistakes and contradictions. Dawn, via its iVerify fact-checking service, busted the viral narrative. The fact-checking team examined the image digitally, cross-checked it with authentic copies of The Daily Telegraph, and established that there was no such article ever printed. The image was reported to have found with multiple discrepancies, including spelling errors, mistyped and jumped sentences, and language inconsistencies. "Such errors are not in sync with a mainstream newspaper's editorial standards," Dawn quoted.
Journalists And Netizens Slam Fake News Circulation
Senior Pakistani journalist Imran Mukhtar of The Nation condemned the fake news, tweeting, “How fake news overshadows the truth: Earlier today, Deputy PM & FM Ishaq Dar cited this false news during his Senate speech to support claims of PAF’s dominance over India. No doubt, the PAF did dominate — but the image in question is fake.” Another user, Abdul Wasey Naik, posted, “Many credible journalists in Pakistan shared and quoted this image, claiming it to be the front page of The Daily Telegraph. This picture is AI-generated.”
Misinformation Campaign Follows India's Operation Sindoor
The incident of fake news follows Operation Sindoor, India's precision strikes against terror camps within Pakistan. In the wake of the operation, Pakistan's digital propaganda machinery seemed to go into overdrive. State-sponsor accounts and government-supporting handles started sharing old photographs, doctored videos, and false reports, attempting to obfuscate the narrative and draw attention away from the strikes.
This is not the first time Pakistan has been at the center of a disinformation campaign. During the years, the nation has been repeatedly accused of trying to manipulate international opinion using forged images, false social media statements, and AI-created content, particularly in the context of its conflicts. With this, Pakistan's credibility has again been dealt a blow, with serious questions being raised about the use of fake news even in official circles such as the Senate.