Viral video of huge vehicle caravan setting out for PTI Islamabad rally from Malakand

Rating Justification

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

To reach this conclusion, the iVerify Pakistan team conducted a reverse image search to investigate the video.

Pro-PTI accounts shared a video on social media platform X on September 8, 2024, claiming it showed a huge caravan of vehicles setting out for the party’s Islamabad rally. However, the video was actually from Independence Day celebrations.

The PTI hosted a huge rally on the outskirts of Islamabad on September 8. The rally came after many delays and was previously scheduled for July and later August. After it had been postponed twice due to permission issues and security risks, the rally finally stepped out demanding the “immediate release” of party founder Imran Khan and also criticising the government for marginalising the party. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

HOW IT STARTED

A pro-PTI user shared a video on X on September 8 of an aerial shot showing a long line of cars. The caption for the post said: “Malakand. MNA Junaid Agbar’s convoy left for Islamabad.”

The post gained over 247,000 views and was reshared 4,600 times, including by anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan whose own post said: “Those from the mountains came out.”

His post racked up over 359,000 views and was reshared 7,200 times.

Other pro-PTI accounts, with the political party’s flag and Imran’s picture as their display pictures, also posted the same video with the same caption as can be seen here, here and here.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to verify the claim due to its virality, the public’s interest in the PTI’s Islamabad rally after facing various setbacks and also because many users pointed out in the comments that the video was not related to people heading towards the PTI event.

A reverse image search conducted to investigate the video yielded the same footage uploaded to YouTube on August 16 with the title: “14 August 2024 | Chattar Plain, Top | Happy Independence Day”.

Conducting a keyword search for the words used in the title also yielded a Facebook page called Chattar Plain Top that featured imagery and footage of the recreational site in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mansehra district.

Investigating the various videos uploaded by the page led to the same video, originally posted on August 15.

The video’s caption said, “On Independence Day, Azadi rallies from neighbouring cities converge at Chattar Top, where participants revel in the scenic beauty and pleasant weather. The venue comes alive with vibrant stalls and performances by local artists, who sing in the local dialect, amplifying the excitement of the crowd. Chattar Top is abuzz with festive fervour on this occasion.”

The video was credited to Jamil Khan Akhunzada, whose watermark was also visible in the footage posted by the pro-PTI accounts.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows a huge caravan of vehicles setting out for the PTI’s Islamabad rally from Malakand is false.

The video shows vehicles converging at Mansehra’s Chattar Plain recreational site for Independence Day celebrations.

Evidence and References

August 16, 2024, YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NCcGqE1-HKM

August 15, 2024, Chattar Plain Top video
https://www.facebook.com/61552409444789/videos/540187751910880/