Fact Check: Pakistan’s General admits to losing two JF-17 fighter jets? Video is AI-manipulated

Sharif in the video could be heard saying, “Operation Sindoor, We believe it is important to offer transparency and reaffirm our enduring commitment to regional stability. The operation involved intense engagements along the eastern corridor. We regret to confirm that two JF-17 aircraft were lost during active duty. This loss is not just about numbers for us- it is an emotional blow. We also suffered damage to civilian infrastructure and casualties among our brave service members. Our prayers are with the families of the martyrs. Their sacrifice will always be honoured.

He further says, “In the Pahalgam axis, significant tactical shifts were observed. The situation remains fluid, and we are closely monitoring developments. Strategic consequences are unfolding, and we are prepared to respond accordingly. Let me state this clearly: Pakistan does not believe in war. We have consistently exercised patience, even in the face of serious provocations. Our objective has never been escalation, but the pursuit of stability and peace. Sovereignty is our responsibility- but so is our role in building a peaceful future for the region. We urge our counterparts: choose dialogue over aggression. The burden of war is not carried by soldiers alone- it is borne by every household. Pakistan stands for regional peace, mutual dignity, and adherence to the principles of international conduct.”

One X user shared the video with the caption, “Pakistan officially accepts that India has downed 2 JF 17s!!!” (Archive)

Several X users have shared the video. Click here, here, here, here, here and here.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim false, as the video is AI-manipulated.

A reverse image search of keyframes from the video leads to the same visuals but with different audio, published by Pakistan’s YouTube channels, Dunya News and Business Recorder, on December 27, 2024. The video is described as a press conference by DG ISPR Lt General Ahmed Sharif. Upon reviewing the footage, NewsMeter finds that Sharif speaks in Urdu about operations against terrorist activities, specifically targeting Baloch militants.

While Dunya News mentioned India in the caption, we did not find any instance where Sharif admitted that Pakistan had lost two JF-17 fighter jets in a confrontation with India. Nor did we find him speaking about peace, mutual dignity, or adherence to the principles of international conduct. However, we did observe similar flag arrangements, identical attire worn by General Sharif, and the same seating arrangement of journalists attending the press conference.

After carefully analysing the videos, we found the most significant discrepancy to be the language. In the viral video, General Sharif is shown speaking in English, whereas in the original videos, he speaks entirely in Urdu. And, in segments where he appears to speak Urdu in the viral clip, his accent and tone do not match the original footage. These inconsistencies strongly suggest that the audio in the viral video has likely been manipulated using AI.

For further investigation, we escalated the video to our partner, the Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), a division of the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA) NewsMeter is part of.

DAU findings

The Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU) examined the audio using advanced AI detection tools. Analysis by Hive AI flagged the audio clip as suspicious, labelling it as "AI-generated." The detector identified three segments in the video track that indicated signs of manipulation. Additionally, out of the seven audio classifiers used by Deepfake-o-Meter, five returned a high confidence score, suggesting the audio track is synthetic.

Finally, we searched for official reports claiming that India had shot down two of Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jets but found no statement from the Indian government or the Army regarding this issue. Based on our findings, we conclude that the video of an old press conference by Pakistan’s General Sharif has been manipulated using AI.