ISLAMABAD: In a recent turn of events, a video claiming to depict an attack on Khawaja Muhammad Asif, a prominent leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), surfaced on social media platforms.
The video, which circulated widely on Facebook and Twitter, purportedly showed Asif being targeted with ink as a warning ahead of Nawaz Sharif’s scheduled return to Pakistan on 21 October.
However, fact-checking debunked these claims, revealing that the video is, in fact, more than five years old. The incident took place on 10 March 2018, during a PML-N workers’ event in Sialkot. Asif, who was addressing the gathering, was attacked by an unidentified individual who threw ink on him from behind. The attacker was apprehended by PML-N workers and later handed over to the police. Astonishingly, Asif chose to pardon his assailant instantly.
Misleading Video Ahead of Nawaz Sharif’s Return
This misleading video resurfaced on social media platforms in the context of Nawaz Sharif’s imminent return to Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N supremo, had left for the United Kingdom in 2019 due to health issues after being sentenced to a seven-year jail term on corruption charges, which he vehemently denies.
The video was reposted by multiple Facebook accounts and Twitter users, many of whom were aligned with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the rival party led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Despite the video’s age and the debunking of its context, it gained traction, garnering tens of thousands of views on various social media platforms.
This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by misinformation and the importance of fact-checking in the age of social media. As the political climate in Pakistan remains charged, it is crucial for the public to critically assess the information they encounter to ensure they are not misled by outdated or manipulated content.
