An AI-generated image of a fake ‘news article’ purportedly published in The Daily Telegraph extoling the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) as the “King of the Skies” is being widely shared by Pakistani social media accounts. The ‘news article’ claims, “Experts cited Pakistan Air Force has emerged as the king of the skies in the region- feared, respected and remarkably efficient.”
In the middle of mounting military hostilities between India and Pakistan, and a nominal ceasefire reached on the latter’s initiative after it foresaw the threat of continuing military escalation, Pakistani social media accounts are trying to claim some kind of moral victory by sharing a fake AI-generated news article.
Pakistani social media peddle fake news
Pakistani barrister Khadija Siddiqui shared the fake news article hailing the Pakistan Air Force. “Glory to Allah, our warriors!” she wrote.
The same news article was posted by a Pakistani broadcast journalist named Tariq Mateen, in which he tagged Indian Army veteran Major Gaurav Arya using expletives.
Jasmeen Manzoor, a Pakistani anchor, also spread the lie on X where she posted the fake news article with caption, “Salute to the Defense the determination the dedication and the courage and sacrifice”.
Pakistani journalist Sabir Shakir shared the fake news article to boast about the Pakistan Air Force. “The King of the Skies, the Falcons of the Pakistan Air Force”, he wrote in the caption in Urdu.
Veena Malik also peddled the fake news article on social media. She shared the image of the AI-generated article with a danger emoji.
Former Information Minister of Punjab, Pakistan and former PTI spokesperson Musarrat Cheema also spread the fake claim by sharing the AI-generated news article with heart emojis.
Next in line to share the fake article was journalist and social media influencer Imran Khan.
Pakistan has a history of peddling fake narratives in desperation to gain global sympathy. The current misinformation tactics of Pakistan remind of the 2017 incident when Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi blatantly flashed the image of an injured Gazan girl to accused India of committing atrocities on civilians in Kashmir. Pakistan had to face global embarrassment after the picture turned out to have been taken in 2014 and showing a 17-year-old Gazan girl injured in an alleged Israeli attack.
Amid the ongoing military engagement between India and Pakistan, the latter is constantly peddling fake content and dubious content on social media which is being effectively countered by India.
