Certain Pakistani accounts on social media have claimed that a Pakistani flag was raised by unknown individuals in Srinagar, Kashmir, on India’s 78th Independence Day. These claims were supported by an image purportedly showing the Pakistani flag in Kashmir. The claim was shared by repeated offenders of Fake news peddlers like an X account named Iron Clad.
Below you can find the screen shots of the viral claim.
Fact Check:
DFRAC team investigated the viral claim. Upon thorough investigation, this claim has been found to be false. Firstly, No credible media outlets or local sources have reported any such incident of a Pakistani flag being raised in Srinagar, Kashmir, on India’s Independence Day. The absence of reports from reliable news agencies indicates that the claim lacks authenticity.
The image accompanying the claim has been identified as an old photograph from 2019. This same image was previously circulated by Pakistani media outlets and Twitter users in 2019, making it evident that the image is being used out of context to support the current false narrative.
In contrast to the claims made by certain Pakistani accounts, there have been recent reports from Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) where protestors removed the Pakistani flag and hoisted the Indian tricolour. This further challenges the narrative being pushed by the viral claim.
Conclusion:
The claim that a Pakistani flag was raised in Srinagar, Kashmir, on India’s 78th Independence Day is entirely baseless. The incident depicted in the image did not occur recently, and the photograph itself is from 2019. This is a clear example of misinformation being spread to create confusion and unrest.
