According to both The Dawn and ANI, the image shows thousands of protesters from Jani Khel, a city in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, marching to Islamabad with the bodies of four teenage boys.
An image allegedly showing a large group of men marching with India’s national flag was shared on social media with the claim that it is from Pakistan. According to the social media posts containing this image, it appears that members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a group advocating the rights of Pashtuns in Pakistan, are marching with the Indian tricolor to Islamabad.
The caption to one such picture posted on Twitter reads: ‘PTM terrorists are now openly waving the Indian flag. Their dirty face is now exposed. Pashtun rejects these Indian snakes …. #PahstunrejectPTM # PashtunLongMarch2Islamabad ”
PTM terrorists are now openly waving the Indian flag. Their dirty face is now exposed. Pashtun rejects these Indian snakes ….#PahstunrejectPTM
# PashtunLongMarch2Islamabad pic.twitter.com/mb3UIg3X4G– babarkhan (@ibabarkhan) March 28, 2021
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found that the image shared with the claim had changed.
The original image shows the local tribes of the Bannu district in Pakistan and members of PTM marching with a black flag to contest the murder of four Pashtun youths.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here and here.
AFWA investigation
We did a reverse image search of the image in question and found the same conducted by an ANI report published on 28 March 2021. In this image, however, the men can be seen holding a black flag instead of the tiranga. They can also be seen holding both black and white flags in the procession.
The caption to the statue reads: “Participants of Jani Khel dharna marched to Islamabad on Sunday to protest the killing of four Pashtun youths.”
A comparison between the original and morphic image can be seen below.
According to both The Dawn and ANI, the image shows thousands of protesters from Jani Khel, a city in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, marching to Islamabad with the bodies of four teenage boys. The bullet-stricken bodies were found in a field a week before the protest. The protesters are demanding action against anti-state elements.
Mohsin Dawa, PTM leader and member of the National Assembly, also tweeted the same image with the caption: ‘Participants in Jani Khel Dharna marching to Islamabad, we are on our way to join them for a while. # PashtunLongMarch2Islamabad aniKhelLongMarch2Islamabad ”
Participants of Jani khel dharna who are on their way to Islamabad, we are on our way to join them for a while. # PashtunLongMarch2Islamabad # JaniKhelLongMarch2Islamabad pic.twitter.com/r8qD3E37pN
– Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) March 28, 2021
According to a PTM Twitter account in the Netherlands, the black and white flags seen at PTM rallies indicate what the movement stands for; black representing their “oppressed state” and white for “non-violent peaceful struggle”.
The plain completely black and all white flags of #PTM is a symbol of our recent history and what we # Pashtuns stands for. Black: our oppressed state, deprived of every right, also the right to life. White: violent peaceful struggle. # PashtunLongMarch2MiranShah @ManzoorPashteen pic.twitter.com/C30lPoq34z
– PTM Holland (@HollandPtm) 15 November 2020
Therefore, it is clear that the image in question is being altered and the original image shows local tribesmen from Jani Khel along with PTM members holding a black flag which they believe is a symbol of their oppressed state.
ClaimAn image shows members of PTM, a group advocating for the rights of the Pashtun ethnic group in Pakistan, carrying the national flag of India during their protest march to Islamabad.ClosureThis image is being modified. The original image shows protesters wearing a black flag which, according to PTM, is a symbol of the struggle of their movement.
JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE
The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.
- 1 Crow: Half true
- 2 crows: mostly lies
- 3 crows: absolutely false
