Hamid Mir challenges Rana Sanaullah to debunk claims of government meetings with Imran Khan in jail

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team has reviewed this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, the iVerify Pakistan team investigated the claim by checking the X account of senior journalist Hamid Mir to corroborate if he actually made any such post on social media platform X.

Multiple posts circulating an image of a purported screenshot of an X post from Mir on June 5 claimed to show the anchorperson challenging PML-N leader and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah to debunk the former’s assertion of the Sharif brothers going to meet PTI founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail for negotiations. However, Mir himself denounced the circulating post as being fake.

Imran is currently incarcerated in Adiala Jail serving his sentence in the Iddat case. He was arrested on August 5, 2023, and his sentences in two Toshakhana cases were suspended. He has consistently ruled out any talks with the PPP and PML-N and made any negotiations contingent on the return of the party’s alleged stolen election mandate and the release of its arrested workers after the riots on May 9, 2023.

On the other hand, Sanaullah had said in April 2024 that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was willing to negotiate with Imran in the past and was still amenable to talks with the PTI founder. Sanaullah also called for dialogue among all political parties on May 2.

HOW IT STARTED

On June 5, 2024, an X user, who appeared to be a PTI supporter based on his past posts, shared a screenshot of a purported X post from senior journalist Hamid Mir.

The caption of the shared screenshot of X post said, “Mr Rana it has been a week since my challenge but you have not responded. Now, here’s another piece of news: After Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif also went to meet Imran Khan in jail [and] offered negotiations but Imran rejected it and said he doesn’t talk to thieves. Come to my show and prove me a liar; otherwise, accept that your entire state is dependent on prisoner number 804.”

The alleged tweet was dated June 2, 2024.

The post gained over 248,000 views and was also shared by many other users.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and because it featured a very brazen challenge from a senior journalist to a politician when Mir is not usually known to indulge in such kind of behaviour.

Mir’s X account was investigated to look for the June 2 post but there was none found.

Rather, the journalist himself addressed the issue in a June 5 post and said: “These days, fake tweets against me by Rana Sanaullah and fake tweets against Rana Sanaullah by me are being spread on social media. You can check my timeline to find out the truth about such tweets. I do criticise but I do not adopt a disrespectful tone towards anyone.”

It is worth noting that Sanaullah himself appeared on Mir’s show ‘Capital Talk’ on June 5 to discuss the ongoing political situation in the country.

As the two discussed whether the door for negotiations with the PTI was closed, Mir at the 33:35-minute mark highlighted that fake social media posts were circulating regarding him and Sanaullah. He also showed the screenshot in question during the show and categorically said he did not make the post or issue the challenge to the PML-N leader.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim regarding Mir’s alleged X post challenging PML-N’s Sanaullah to debunk the meetings of the government with Imran in jail is false.

Mir addressed the matter himself on June 5, saying that there was no truth to the viral X post and he did not make it.

Evidence and References

June 5, 2024, X post of senior journalist Hamid Mir:
https://perma.cc/3N3A-Q7BS

June 5, 2024, YouTube video of ‘Capital Talk’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRbX8r24HvI