ISLAMABAD: The Fake News Watchdog has released an investigative report exposing large-scale disinformation and fabricated stories spread during Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) recent protests.
According to the report, between October 7 and 14, false statements, doctored videos, and fabricated claims were widely circulated on social media, fuelling panic and confusion.
It said unverified statements attributed to the federal information minister about Israel were shared online. False reports of the martyrdom of Saad Rizvi and Anas Rizvi also played a highly negative role during the protests.
The watchdog revealed that several social media pages posted exaggerated figures — including claims of 300 deaths and 1,900 injuries — none of which were verified. Similarly, reports of Ahmed Shah Bukhari’s “martyrdom” and claims that 60 police officers had been permanently disabled were also proven false.
The report noted that during violent demonstrations, the Punjab information minister’s ambiguous statement about 1,648 injured police officers further added to uncertainty. In addition, a video alleging that bodies of TLP workers were dumped in drains went viral without verification.
According to the fake news watchdog, both pro-TLP and pro-government users on social media irresponsibly shared content that escalated tensions. At the same time, restrictions on mainstream media coverage created a vacuum where fake news flourished unchecked.
The watchdog also disclosed that hundreds of accounts pushing fabricated stories were linked to neighbouring countries, running an organised propaganda campaign aimed at portraying Pakistan as unstable on the global stage.
It added that the government’s information team once again failed to effectively counter the disinformation, allowing the campaign to gain traction.
The report urged the Government of Pakistan and media houses to jointly develop a robust fact-checking system to prevent the spread of fake news in future. It also appealed to citizens to avoid sharing unverified content on social media.
