AFP Pakistan

No, Pakistan has not risen from 175 to 116 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index

Published on 18 October 2018 at 16:00

A Facebook post quoting Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency claims that the country’s ranking on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index has improved from 175 to 116. The global corruption watchdog’s data showed neither of these figures were correct. Pakistan is currently ranked 117 out of 180 countries on the list and has not improved its ranking significantly in recent years.

No, a US military transport plane did not crash in Afghanistan on October 4, 2018, killing 11 people

Published on 15 October 2018 at 10:40

A report in an online Pakistani newspaper claimed a US military C-130 transport plane crashed in Afghanistan on October 4, 2018. The report copied the exact details of a crash that happened three years earlier in the city of Jalalabad, when 11 people including six American soldiers were killed. NATO told AFP there had been no US military plane crash on October 4 this year.

No, the Pakistani government has not appointed a new chairperson to run a federal welfare programme

Published on 12 October 2018 at 09:00

A notification that has been widely shared on social media across Pakistan claims the government has appointed a female legislator from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party as the new head of a nationwide welfare programme. The parliamentarian, the government, and a representative from the programme said the notification being circulated is fake and no such appointment has been made.

No, walnut shells do not get rid of spiders

Published on 27 September 2018 at 16:00

A Facebook post claims that a chemical toxic to spiders found in walnut shells can keep arachnids away from your home. A reverse image search found the photograph used is an old meme which went viral in 2015. Researchers told AFP that the claim was phoney as most spiders cannot detect airborne odors. Scientific research shows that some spiders live in walnut trees.

No, Pakistan will not soon have Uber flying cars in its skies

Published on 27 September 2018 at 13:00

An online report claimed Pakistan will soon have flying cars in its skies as Uber is considering the country as a potential market for the new technology. Uber told AFP it did not plan to test or launch its flying car service in Pakistan soon. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority said it had not received any requests to launch a flying car service in the country.

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