Leaked video of PTI founder Imran Khan’s first post-arrest appearance during Supreme Court hearing

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team has checked this content and established that it is false.

To arrive at this verdict, the iVerify Pakistan team investigated the allegedly leaked video of PTI founder Imran Khan speaking during a Supreme Court hearing in his first post-arrest public appearance.

HOW IT STARTED

On May 16, 2024, a 36-second clip (link 1, link 2) of former prime minister Imran Khan was shared on X by different accounts who appeared to be PTI supporters based on their past posts.

The caption of one post with over 55,000 views said: “Imran Khan. Video hearing. (No sound) but Khan is there.”

The caption did not mention the place, context or setting of the clip but it was clearly intended to be of Imran from a Supreme Court hearing on changes to the country’s accountability laws.

In the video, Imran can be seen talking via video link to judges of the Supreme Court and is wearing a dark blue kameez.

The same clip was also shared by other PTI accounts, which can be seen here and here.

On the other hand, on May 15, 2024, a day before the Supreme Court hearing, some social media users shared a 22-second video (link 1, link 2) on X, claiming to show Imran’s current appearance.

The caption of the post said, “Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan without makeup and hair dye.”

The post gained over 900,000 views on X.

Similarly, the same clip was shared by another X user with the caption: “Guess who? He is in jail of Pakistan!”

The post gained over 92,000 views.

It is worth mentioning that the Supreme Court did not allow the live streaming of the hearing on changes to the accountability laws and thus there was no footage aired on the media of Imran’s appearance via video link.

METHODOLOGY

The iVerify Pakistan team sought to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and because it concerned the first public appearance of the former prime minister since his arrest from Zaman Park in August last year in the Toshakhana case.

The team checked Imran’s and the PTI’s official social media accounts to check whether they had shared the alleged leaked video of him speaking in the Supreme Court hearing while wearing a dark blue kameez.

However, the team found that the PTI uploaded a completely different image of Imran with the caption: “Chairman Imran Khan’s picture from Adiala Jail.”

In the image shared by the party, Imran can be seen sitting in a brightly lit room wearing a light blue shirt, and appearing disinterested with his face resting on his hand.

The image is starkly different from the one in the alleged leaked video which features Imran wearing dark blue in a darkened setting with no discernible background.

Additionally, Dawn.com‘s Supreme Court correspondent Abdullah Momand also confirmed the veracity of the image shared by the PTI, saying that it indeed showed the former prime minister as he appeared via video link in today’s hearing.

Furthermore, unlike the alleged leaked video which shows Imran speaking, media reports on today’s hearing said that the PTI founder was not given the chance to speak.

Regarding the other video, comparing Imran’s physical appearance in the photo shared by the PTI and the video circulating on May 15 also showed stark differences since Imran seemed his normal self in the image from the court hearing.

However, the person alleged to be Imran in the video had a receding hairline, white hair and a beard and appeared bulky.

BACKGROUND

Imran’s expected appearance via video link in today’s Supreme Court hearing on a case related to changes in the country’s accountability laws was to be his first in nine months since his arrest in August 2023 in a Toshakhana Case.

The PTI founder is incarcerated in Adiala Jail serving sentences in multiple cases and the apex court had ordered the federal government on May 14 to ensure his appearance via video link for today’s case hearing since he is a petitioner in the matter.

CONCLUSION

The iVerify Pakistan team has determined that the claims regarding an alleged leaked video of Imran speaking during a May 16 Supreme Court hearing via video link and a separate video purportedly showing his current physical state are false.

The PTI’s official social media accounts shared Imran’s picture from the May 16 Supreme Court hearing, showing both his current physical state and clothing, both of which drastically differ and thus negate the two videos being shared online.

Evidence and References

PTI’s May 16, 2024, X post:
https://perma.cc/4AGA-AH64

Dawn.com May 16, 2024, Supreme Court hearing report:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1833815/anticlimactic-adjournment-as-much-anticipated-nab-laws-hearing-featuring-imran-ends-without-him-speaking