Young soldier martyred in North Waziristan on September 10

Rating Justification

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

The iVerify Pakistan team reached this conclusion after conducting a reverse image search.

Multiple users were sharing an image of a young soldier on social media platform X on September 10, 2024, claiming he was martyred in North Waziristan in that timeframe. However, the incident actually occurred in September 2020.

HOW IT STARTED

On September 10, an X user named Sajid Usmani, describing himself as a radio jockey for FM 91.6 and journalist, shared the image of a young soldier.

The post’s caption said: “Lt Nasir Khalid PMA 137 LC was martyred in an IED blast in North Waziristan today. Lt Nasir was a graduate of Royal Military Academy Australia. Nasir was an orphan, Nasir’s father was also a martyr, Nasir was the only son of his mother.”

The picture was a selfie of a young man in an army uniform. It garnered over 276,00 views and was shared 2,000 times.

The picture was shared by others with the same caption as can be seen here, here, here and here.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and public interest in martyred military personnel.

A reverse image search led to a September 3, 2020, Facebook post with the following caption: “Lt Nasir Khalid who embraced martyrdom today in an IED Blast. He was a graduate of Australian Defence Force Academy with the highest award for foreign cadets. He was an orphan, his father was a martyr of the police.”

Ä keyword search for his name yielded brought up multiple news reports from leading Pakistani English outlets Dawn and Express Tribune.

As per the news reports, Khalid was martyred on September 3, 2020, alongside two other soldiers when they were targeted by terrorists while on security duties for road construction teams working in the Ghariom section of the Shaga-Nishpa road in North Waziristan.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: MISLEADING

The claim regarding Lt Nasir Khalid being martyred in North Waziristan on September 10, 2024, is misleading.

He was actually martyred four years ago in September 2020 and the omission of this original date has the potential to misguide the public amid an already tense security environment in the country.

Evidence and References

September 4, 2020, Dawn news report:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1577821

September 15, 2024, Express Tribune news report:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2264132/no-threat-can-deter-resolve-of-a-united-nation-gen-qamar