CLAIM

Viral videos of Indian journalists claiming that NDA leaders funded PTI

RATING JUSTIFICATION

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

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a reverse image search and a keyword search to trace the original footage.

Multiple people shared videos on social media platform X on November 20, 2025, claiming to show Indian journalists reporting that four National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders funded the PTI to influence Pakistan’s internal politics and project Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategic dominance after recent tensions. However, the videos are doctored through AI.

Tensions between India and Pakistan had flared in April 2025 when a deadly terror attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir was blamed on Islamabad, which denied the accusations. The two sides exchanged a series of tit-for-tat blows, culminating in a ceasefire declaration by United States President Donald Trump in May.

The NDA is an Indian political alliance comprising Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

HOW IT STARTED

On Nov 20, a user on X, who appears to be pro-state and anti-PTI based on his past posts, shared a video of Firstpost Managing Editor Palki Sharma with the caption: “Breaking from New Delhi. Indian agencies have reportedly uncovered a stunning cross-border funding trail. Top PTI allegedly received crores from Bihar-based NDA politicians to influence Pakistan’s internal politics and project Prime Minister Modi’s strategic dominance after recent tensions. Federal investigators have initiated a full probe, and early findings point to a serious breach of political ethics and national security. This story is developing.”

The post gained 190,300 views.

The same video was then reshared by Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Information for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Affairs Ikhtiar Wali with the caption: “I hope the PTI folks know English; they must listen to this clip.”
The post gained 14,500 views.

PML-N supporter Shama Junejo and PML-N leader Ahsan Chattha were also among those who reshared the video.

Other accounts shared the same video with similar claims, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The very same day, the account that originally shared the clip also shared another video of senior Indian journalist Ravish Kumar with a similar claim.

The caption of the post said: “Breaking news: Senior Indian journalist Ravish Kumar explains how PTI of Pakistan established links with NDA in Bihar elections, funnelling Indian taxpayers’ money right under the nose of Modi Government to PTI leaders to prove that India won Op Sindoor.”

The post gained 82,000 views.

The video was widely shared by other PML-N supporters with similar claims as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the elections in India’s Bihar and matters related to the PTI.

A reverse image search using keyframes from the Firspost clip led to the original November 14, 2025, YouTube video of Palki Sharma’s programme ‘Vantage’ titled: “India builds new airbase 30kms away from China border | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G”.

In the original episode, Sharma discusses India’s newly operational airbase at Mudh Nyoma in Ladakh, located 30 kilometres from the Line of Actual Control LAC with China. She focuses on India’s evolving Himalayan defence posture, changes in military strategy, tri-service integration, and the significance of high altitude operations.

Nothing in the original broadcast mentions PTI, Pakistan, the NDA alliance, or allegations of foreign funding.

Similarly, a keyword search was conducted to trace the original footage of the second viral clip and yielded a vlog of Kumar on his official YouTube channel on November 20, 2025, titled: “BJP bows down to Nitish, gets power but not rule”.

In the video, Kumar provides his analysis of the Bihar elections and the elected BJP chief minister, Nitesh Kumar. At no point, however, did he comment on Operation Sindoor, Pakistan and the PTI.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that viral videos of Indian journalists show them claiming that the NDA political alliance funded the PTI is false.

The videos are doctored and have been dubbed over with AI-generated audio.

EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES

Nov 14, 2025, Firstpost YouTube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1huUHDJXmKY

Nov 20, 2025, Ravish Kumar YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-EAnQIdBgQ