Pakistani journalists and civil society activists hold placards against the attack on Ahmed Noorani, a senior journalist of a local newspaper who was beaten by unknown attackers on motorbikes on October 26, during a protest in Karachi on October 28, 2017. (Photo by RIZWAN TABASSUM / AFP) (AFP / Rizwan Tabassum)

Fabricated image circulates in posts about attacked Pakistan journalist

This article is more than one year old.
Published on June 3, 2021 at 07:10
2 min read
By Wasi MIRZA, AFP Pakistan

After a Pakistani journalist was attacked by a group of men at his home, posts circulating online purported to show him tweeting thanks to well-wishers for bringing him fertility medicine. The tweet, however, has been doctored: the original post shows the journalist thanking well-wishers for bringing him painkillers.

The image was posted here on Twitter on May 31, 2021.

"Shame on you Asad Toor,” reads the post’s caption.

The image shows a screenshot of a tweet from Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor.

Toor was attacked by three men who broke into his apartment in Islamabad in May, sparking outrage from rights groups. Al Jazeera reported on the assault on May 26, 2021.

"A special thanks to honourable judge of #SupremeCourt #JusticeQaziFaezIsa and Mrs. #SarinaIsa for visiting me to inquire about my health. Mrs Sarina Isa in a caring gesture brought these pain killers for me,” Toor’s tweet reads.

The accompanying picture purports to show a brand of fertility medicine.

Screenshot of the post with the doctored image. Taken on June 2, 2021.

The photo has been shared on Twitter here, here and here.

The image, however, has been doctored.

An advanced search of Toor’s Twitter account found the tweet with the same caption posted here on May 29.

The accompanying photo shows a brand of painkillers, not infertility medicine.

Below is a screenshot comparing the altered image (L) and the original image from Toor (R):

Screenshot comparing the altered image (L) with the original from Toor showing painkillers (R). Taken on June 2, 2021.

Below is a screenshot comparing the brand of infertility medicine seen in the altered image (L) with a picture of the same medicine from the manufacturer’s Facebook page (R):

Screenshot comparing the infertility medicine in the altered image (L) with the original (R). Taken on June 3, 2021.

Pakistan routinely ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for journalists.

AFP previously fact-checked another altered image purportedly showing a Pakistani journalist accepting a bribe.

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Fabricated image circulates in posts about attacked Pakistan journalist

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