Fact Check: Old video of blast in Pakistan falsely linked to rumoured death of terrorist Masood Azhar
The video shows an explosion in Dera Ismail Khan’s Tank Adda in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region on November 3, 2023.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 2 Jan 2024 5:29 PM IST
(Source: X/@Shunyaa00)
Hyderabad: Amid the buzz on the X (formerly Twitter) about the death of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, a video of the blast is in circulation with the claim that Azhar was killed in the explosion while he was returning from Bhawalapur mosque in Pakistan.
“Pakistan: Most wanted terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar reportedly killed in a bomb explosion by Unknown Men, returning from Bhawalpur mosque (sic),” wrote a premium X user who shared the video.
(Source: X/@Shunyaa00)
Several X users shared the video claiming the same.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the video shows an explosion in Dera Ismail Khan’s Tank Adda in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region on November 3, 2023.
We searched for the death of Masood Azhar but did not come across news reports from credible media in India and Pakistan which confirmed the death of the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief. Had the death been confirmed, it would have been widely reported in mainstream media.
Next, we performed a reverse image search of the viral video keyframes and found it posted on November 3 2023 by a premium X handle OSINT Updates. In the caption, the handle stated that the blast was targeted at the police van in Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan. It also mentioned six people were killed and 25 injured, and gunshots were also heard after the blast.
Taking this cue, we ran a relevant keyword search on X and found the same video posted by Pakistani journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah on November 3, 2023. He also mentioned in the caption that the blast was targeted at a police van, which killed at least six people. Indian Journalist Ravinder Singh Robin also posted the video on November 3, 2023, stating the same in the caption.
According to Pakistan media outlet Samaa TV, the preliminary report revealed that the explosive was planted on a motorbike and the blast was carried out by remote control. It also mentioned six people were killed and over 20 injured in a powerful explosion.
Associated Press also reported that the explosion took place in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. The bomb planted in the motorcycle was detonated remotely when a police bus carrying officers from the city to the nearby area passed by.
Hence, we conclude that the video is old and does not show the blast reportedly killing terrorist Masood Azhar. The claim is misleading.
