Widespread misinformation has plagued Pakistan following the violent protests led by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the arrest of their leader, Imran Khan.
Amid the days of protests and acts of vandalism, a photo and two videos started circulating online, depicting alleged state brutality and the courage of political protesters.
However, France 24, a prominent French news channel, has identified several clear indicators that these visuals were not authentic or from Pakistan.
In an investigation conducted by journalist Vedika Bahl, who hosts the news segment “Truth or Fake,” the media outlet delved into the misinformation being spread by PTI workers and supporters.
Regarding the photo, Bahl revealed that it was being shared on Twitter as a symbol of resistance against riot police in the country, with one tweet even proclaiming it as a display of “real FEMINISM.”
The photo gained significant traction, including a retweet from PTI’s official Twitter account and amassed over 231,000 views on the platform.
However, Bahl confirmed that the image was actually generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and traced its origin to a Twitter user named Abdullah Saad. The limitations of AI, particularly in drawing hands, became evident, exposing the image’s inauthenticity. Bahl also pointed out the stark contrast between the riot police depicted in the image and the actual officers engaged with protesters on the streets, with the latter appearing much more realistic.
The creator of the AI-generated image revealed that he drew inspiration from a female protester who confronted the police during the recent demonstrations, symbolically removing her scarf in an act of defiance.
Bahl further addressed two videos that were circulating on TikTok, Twitter, and other social media platforms, claiming to showcase the resistance of PTI protesters. However, one of the videos, purportedly depicting PTI supporters marching towards the police, was actually footage of approximately 1,000 Honduran migrants moving towards the US border, seeking attention from the US president regarding issues of asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, the other video was from a recent shooting incident in Parachinar, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where seven individuals were tragically killed inside a government school’s staffroom.
The exposure of these misinformation attempts highlights the challenges faced in verifying information during times of social and political unrest. It underscores the importance of fact-checking and responsible sharing on social media platforms.