Pakistan’s Information Ministry says a viral video featuring Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was doctored and used AI-generated audio to falsely attribute political and economic remarks to him.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected a video circulating online that falsely portrays Defence Minister Khawaja Asif making remarks about Pakistan’s political and economic situation, as well as the country’s progress compared with India.
The ministry said Monday that the approximately one-minute video had been doctored and that the audio accompanying the footage was generated using artificial intelligence. It urged the public to verify information through official sources before sharing potentially misleading content on social media.
The clip appears to show Asif speaking during a press conference. However, the ministry clarified that the audio does not contain an actual statement by the defence minister and that he did not make the remarks attributed to him.
The fabricated audio includes comparisons between Pakistan and India since their independence, falsely portraying Asif as discussing differences in technology, infrastructure, economic development and international standing.
The manipulated video also attributes politically sensitive comments to Asif concerning Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. It falsely suggests that the government had lost control in certain areas and that people were protesting over their rights.
The video further attempts to depict the defence minister as questioning Pakistan’s democratic system and encouraging citizens to challenge government policies. It concludes with a provocative question about responsibility for the country’s current situation.
The Information Ministry specifically described the material as fake and said Khawaja Asif had made no such statement.
The clarification came after the video attracted significant attention online and was reportedly picked up by Indian media outlets. The incident underscores the growing use of AI-generated audio and manipulated video to spread misleading political content.
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