Social media users fall for AI-generated clip showing Pakistani police fleeing protesters
- Published on November 29, 2024 at 07:18
- Updated on December 2, 2024 at 02:42
- 3 min read
- By Masroor GILANI, AFP Pakistan
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"Islamabad police ran away, fearing PTI rally," reads Urdu-language text in a video published on Facebook on November 21 shared more than 6,500 times.
The clip shows a group of police officers walking down a street with their fists raised before turning and running.
Pakistan police said on November 27 that they had arrested nearly 1,000 protesters who defied a ban and marched on Islamabad -- the latest in a series of rallies held to demand Khan's release (archived link).
The former prime minister has been jailed since August 2023, sidelined by dozens of legal cases he claims were confected to prevent his comeback in elections this year marred by rigging allegations.
His PTI party won the most seats but a coalition considered more pliable to military influence shut it out of power.
Similar videos were shared along with the false claim elsewhere on Facebook and X.
Some users appeared to believe the video is genuine and posted laughing emojis to mock the officers.
One user wrote: "Are they practising how to run away?"
"Haha well done," another said sarcastically.
But the video was first shared by a TikTok account that regularly posts clips made with AI.
Fake video
A keyword search for "Bilal Ai" -- text that can be seen in some of the false videos -- shows it is the name of a TikTok account, where the original video was uploaded on November 21 (archived link).
The account's profile says it uploads "AI content".
Below is a screenshot comparison between the video seen in the false post (left) and on the TikTok account (right):
AFP has previously debunked a false claim shared along with a clip published by the account.
The false video appears to be based on a clip posted on the Islamabad police's X account showing an actual march by officers on November 20 (archived link).
"The aim of the walk is to express commitment to the establishment of peace and order and the promotion of harmony and unity," the clip's caption read. "We hope that peace-loving citizens of Islamabad will fully cooperate with the police in ensuring peace and order."
The video at the 0:17 mark shows a scene similar to the beginning of the false video.
The state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan also published a report on the police's march (archived link).
AFP has previously debunked false claims related to protests held in support of Khan here and here.
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