Politics
Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar Cites Fake Telegraph Report, Sparks Misinformation Row
Islamabad, May 16, 2025 – Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar ignited controversy by citing a fake Daily Telegraph article praising the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) as the “undisputed king of the skies” during a Senate address. Fact-checkers, including Pakistan’s own Dawn newspaper, swiftly debunked the claim, exposing the perils of misinformation amid India-Pakistan tensions. Here’s how the blunder unfolded and why it’s a global wake-up call.
The Fake News Fiasco
On May 15, 2025, Dar told Pakistan’s Senate that a British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, had lauded the PAF’s dominance, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs transcript. “Telegraph writes Pakistan Air Force is the undisputed king of the skies,” he said, sparking cheers, per Radio Pakistan. However, Dawn’s iVerify Pakistan team found no such article in The Telegraph’s archives or website, per their May 16 fact-check. The viral image, circulating since May 10, was AI-generated, riddled with errors like “Fyaw” for “Force” and “preformance” for “performance,” per the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Dar’s claim, tied to post-Operation Sindoor bravado, crumbled under scrutiny.
How the Hoax Spread
The fake Telegraph front page, falsely claiming PAF supremacy, emerged on social media amid India-Pakistan clashes following India’s May 7 Operation Sindoor, per Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Shared widely since May 10, it gained traction when Dar endorsed it, lending official weight to a fabrication, per Dawn’s analysis. No evidence suggests Dar’s team verified the source, highlighting a lapse in protocol, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs silence noted by PIB. X posts, like one from @WaseyNaik, called it “embarrassing,” reflecting public dismay, per social media sentiment.
Why It Matters
Dar’s gaffe, during heightened tensions after Sindoor’s strikes on terror camps, risks Pakistan’s diplomatic credibility, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs absence of clarification. The incident, echoing Pakistan’s past misinformation—like Maleeha Lodhi’s 2017 UN photo blunder—fuels perceptions of propaganda, per India’s MEA. It erodes public trust, with X posts lamenting “fake news overshadowing truth,” per @imranmukhtar. Globally, it underscores the need for leaders to combat misinformation, especially in nuclear-armed rivalries, per a US State Department call for de-escalation.
Fact-Checks and Reactions
Dawn’s iVerify team confirmed the image’s falsity, noting spelling errors and layout inconsistencies unfit for The Telegraph’s standards, per their report. India’s PIB echoed this, debunking the claim on X, stating no such headline existed, per @PIBFactCheck. Pakistani journalists, like Imran Mukhtar, criticized Dar’s reliance on “false news” to claim PAF dominance, per The Nation. The Telegraph has not commented, but its archives show no matching article, per Dawn. X posts, like @ShivAroor’s, called it “priceless” that Dawn fact-checked its own minister, amplifying the embarrassment.
Lessons for the Future
The blunder highlights critical needs, per Pakistan’s Ministry of Information guidelines: verify sources before official statements, adopt robust fact-checking protocols, and boost public media literacy. Governments must counter AI-generated fakes, which flood information spaces, as seen in Pakistan’s post-Sindoor misinformation surge, per India’s MEA. Dar’s silence since the fact-check, per Radio Pakistan, suggests a need for accountability to restore trust. X users urged, “Leaders must cross-check,” per @CNNnews18, reflecting a global call for vigilance.
What’s Next?
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued no apology or retraction, per its May 16 updates, risking further scrutiny as India-Pakistan ceasefire talks loom, per a US State Department mediation note. The incident may prompt stricter social media monitoring, per Pakistan’s Ministry of Information. For now, Dar’s misstep is a stark reminder: in diplomacy, truth is the first casualty of unchecked claims, and rebuilding credibility starts with owning the error.
