Old Pakistan mosque fire misrepresented as 'India strike'
"Drone attack on Faisal Mosque Islamabad," reads the Urdu-language caption of a video posted on X on May 8, 2025.
The video, showing a fire on the side of the road on the way to the mosque in the capital, was shared as India and Pakistan clashed in the worst violence between the countries in decades (archived here and here).
Drone, missile, fighter jet and artillery attacks across the nuclear-armed neighbours' contested frontier claimed the lives of at least 70 people on both sides before a ceasefire was agreed (archived link).
The fighting erupted two weeks after an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that killed 26 people and which India accused Pakistan of backing.
Pakistan firmly denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation.
The same clip was shared alongside similar claims elsewhere on Facebook and TikTok.
While Pakistani military sources said its forces had shot down 77 drones with debris of many incursions seen by AFP in cities across the country, the footage circulating online predates the latest conflict (archived link).
A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to similar visuals embedded in local news reports from the Pakistan Observer and Daily Ausaf about a fire near the mosque on May 28, 2024 (archived here and here).
The footage used in the news reports show the same vehicle parked near to a roadside fire on the approach to the Faisal Mosque.
According to the Daily Ausaf report, the fire broke out as Islamabad and much of the country sizzled through a heatwave.
An AFP reporter who visited the mosque on May 8 after false posts circulated found no evidence of any drone attack or fire nearby.
The deputy commissioner of Islamabad also posted on X and on their verified Facebook page that local authorities rushed to the mosque immediately after reports of a drone attack spread on social media, but "the rumor proved false" (archived here and here).
"Citizens are requested not to pay attention to rumours regarding such matter."
The conflict between India and Pakistan has spurred a wave of misinformation, which AFP has debunked here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
20 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Mideast Power Plays in India and Pakistan
Israeli weapons played an important role in last month's conflict between India and Pakistan, highlighting the flourishing India-Israel defense partnership. Israel unequivocally backed New Delhi, and the accuracy of India's Israeli-made weapons contrasted with the ineffectiveness of Pakistan's Turkish-made drones, which appear to have done little damage to Indian targets. Nitin Gokhale, a prominent Indian national-security analyst, says in a phone interview that Israeli drones, including the precision-guided Palm 400, Harop suicide drone and radar-destroying Harpy, performed well during the conflict. According to Mr. Gokhale, the Indian military is also pleased with its French fighter jets, Russian missile defense and the co-developed BrahMos missile, U.S. surveillance aircraft, and the indigenously developed Akash air-defense missile. How did Israel become a major arms supplier to India, the world's second-largest arms importer behind Ukraine? By developing a reputation in New Delhi for dependability in a crunch. Many Israeli weapons are on the cutting edge of technology that India seeks. And Israeli defense firms work closely with local counterparts. Israel Aerospace Industries has several joint ventures with Indian companies and set up an Indian subsidiary. Israel's Elbit Systems collaborates with Bharat Forge to make artillery and mortar systems and with Adani Defence & Aerospace to make drones. For India, cooperation with Israel diversifies its supply chain and expands its access to high-tech weapons. For Israel, access to the Indian market expands its defense-industrial base. The India-Israel partnership also benefits the U.S., whose own weapons sales to India have grown significantly over the past 25 years. India's turn toward American allies draws New Delhi closer to the West and reduces its dependence on Russian weapons.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mom dies from her injuries days after her 5-year-old was killed by a ‘drunk driver' that slammed into their car
A mother has died from her injuries days after her 5-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver who slammed into their car, according to local officials. On May 24, a Massachusetts family got into a fatal crash that left a young girl, Krisha Patel, dead and her mother and brother injured. The mother, Minaben Patel, 38, has now died as well. Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch said in a joint statement Tuesday, per Boston 25 News, that officials are 'saddened by the loss to Minaben's family and we extend our heartfelt condolences.' The father, who was driving the family car, told authorities that the family was on the way to celebrate his son's 14th birthday when he 'saw a truck driving in his lane,' WCVB reported, citing a police report. 'He tried to avoid being hit by the truck by turning left into the opposite lane of travel, but they ended up colliding anyway,' the police report said. The district attorney said in a previous press release that James Blanchard, the driver of the pickup truck that collided with the Patels' car, was arrested and charged with 'motor vehicle homicide while driving negligently and under the influence of alcohol,' among other charges. A not guilty plea has been entered on Blanchard's behalf, per WCVB. Prosecutor Christopher Meade claimed that on the day of the crash, Blanchard said he had two beers at his landscaping job, and when he left, he opened a 1.75-liter bottle of vodka, started drinking out of it and drove home, according to reports. Meade claimed that police found another 1.75-liter bottle of vodka in Blanchard's truck that Blanchard told authorities was 'from the night before,' the local outlet reported. WCVB reported that authorities said Blanchard had a blood alcohol level of .189 - more than double the .08 legal driving limit. The town of Medway — which is a 10-minute drive north of Franklin, where the crash occurred — paid tribute to Minaben Patel in a Facebook post on Tuesday. 'Minaben was a devoted mother, a loving wife, and a dear friend to many,' the town said, adding, 'Together, we remember and celebrate a life marked by love, kindness, and quiet strength.' The Patel family had an obituary published for little Krisha on May 31, which read, in part: "Our hearts are broken as we say goodbye to such a precious little soul. In her short time with us, she filled the world with laughter, wonder, and love. Her smile could brighten the darkest day, and her kind heart touched everyone she met.'
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Scientists, doctors, disabled join Argentine pensioners' march
Thousands of protesters, including scientists, doctors, disabled people and women's rights activists joined Argentine pensioners Wednesday in a weekly demonstration against President Javier Milei's austerity measures. Shouting slogans such as: "Cruelty cannot be faced alone," and "get the chainsaw off our rights," they came face to face with a heavy security deployment outside Congress in the capital, Buenos Aires. For months, retirees and supporters have mounted a weekly march on Wednesdays to demand better pensions and other benefits. In March, one such demonstration was joined by football fans, and over 100 people were arrested after clashes left dozens injured. Pensioners have suffered the most under Milei's austerity measures, which plunged Argentina into a deep recession for most of 2024 but led to a dramatic slowdown in price increases. A minimum state pension is about $300 a month, barely above the poverty line. Self-declared "anarcho-capitalist" Milei had campaigned for the presidency with a live chainsaw as a symbol of the deep spending cuts he planned to make. Once in office, he fired tens of thousands of public sector workers, halved the number of government ministries and vetoed inflation-aligned pension increases. Last year, Argentina recorded its first budget surplus in a decade, but the collateral damage has been a loss of purchasing power, jobs, and consumer spending. "It is the retirees who are bearing a third of the chainsaw cuts," Luci Cavallero, a woman's rights activist, told AFP at Wednesday's march. "The most terrible thing of all is how we are repressed without any shame. It is very sad at my age," added Cristina Rivada, a 74-year-old retiree who attends the protests every Wednesday. Parallel to the march, Argentine lawmakers were debating proposals submitted by the opposition to increase pensions and issue emergency funds for the disabled. The government rejects the measures due to their cost. Outside the chamber, Evangelina Caro, 49, held up a sign reading: "I am a person, not an expense, with rights, not privileges." Caro, whose 14-year-old son is autistic, said the government was "increasingly violating the rights of people with disabilities. We have no choice but to take to the streets; it's not something we like, but there's no other option." Doctors, too, joined the march to call for better wages, while scientists and researchers protested staffing and funding cuts. lm-tev/mry/mlr/st
