CLAIM

Viral notification from KP Home Department ordering identification and arrest of PTI workers across province

RATING JUSTIFICATION

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated the notification and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a keyword search and forensic analysis of visuals using AI tools.

Several people, the majority of whom appear to be PTI supporters based on their past posts, have been sharing an alleged notification on social media platforms since October 13, 2026, from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department ordering the identification and arrest of PTI workers across the province. However, the notification is AI-generated.

The federal government imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11 following the president’s approval of the recommendations by the federal cabinet. The measures were approved under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.

The decision came during an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where he was briefed on the security situation in KP. Cabinet members reviewed the situation and took note of the “provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism”, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

A couple of hours after the imposition of emergency was announced, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan, who had been accompanying now-dysfunctional KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on PTI’s long march, claimed that Afridi had been taken into custody.

Later, PTI issued a statement condemning the “arrest” of Afridi and others, describing it as an act of “political victimisation and an attempt to weaken the province’s elected leadership and democratic institutions”.

Communication and internet services have also been disrupted in the province. Several PTI leaders and workers were also arrested in the lead-up to the imposition of governor’s rule.

HOW IT STARTED

On Oct 13, YouTuber and self-described journalist Measum Abbas shared a post on X containing a purported notification from the KP Home Department.

The document bore the name and alleged signature of the additional chief secretary of the province’s Home Department. Its subject read: “Arrest of PTI workers – submission of names from your respective areas.”

It directed deputy commissioners across KP to identify, verify and arrest PTI workers and submit their names, addresses, CNIC numbers and other details within seven days.

The post gained 17,000 views.

Another X account that appeared to support PTI, based on its past posts, shared the same notification with the following caption: “Order to arrest PTI workers, notification issued.”

The post gained 81,300 views.

Another apparent PTI supporter shared the same image with the following caption: “A display of shamelessness and lack of honour. They’ve made an illegitimate grab in the name of counter-terrorism, and instead of targeting the terrorists, these shameless people are demanding names to crack down on PTI.”

The post gained 17,200 views.

Other pro-PTI accounts on X also shared the same notification, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here and here; collectively gaining 14,000 views.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the arrest of PTI workers in KP following up to and after the implementation of governor’s rule.

A keyword search was conducted to verify whether any credible Pakistani or local news outlets had reported on the alleged KP Home Department notification ordering the arrest of PTI workers across the province, but nothing was found to corroborate it.

While news reports were plenty about PTI supporters being detained and arrested, none mentioned any such order from the KP Home Department.

A visual and textual examination of the alleged document revealed discrepancies in its letterhead, which names the issuing authority as “Government of Pakistan, Home Department, Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Whereas, the official X account of the Home & Tribal Affairs Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, shared a notification on April 6, 2023, along with an authentic letter, which identifies the issuing authority as “Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Home & Tribal Affairs Department.”

The viral notification features Pakistan’s national emblem at the top, whereas the authentic notification carries the provincial government’s emblem.

Furthermore, the alleged notification identified Muhammad Iqbal Khan as the additional chief secretary of the Home Department. However, a keyword search yielded an Oct 13, 2026, Dawn news report titled “Massive reshuffle in KP bureaucracy under governor’s rule”, which said Amjad Ali Khan, the industries secretary, was transferred and posted as the home and tribal affairs secretary.

Other reports by Dawn and The Express Tribune also identified him as the additional chief secretary, instead of any Muhammad Iqbal Khan.

The notification image was subsequently analysed using OpenAI’s tool to detect the SynthID watermark, which identified a SynthID signal, indicating that the image was likely generated or edited using OpenAI tools.

SynthID works by embedding an invisible digital watermark directly into AI-generated media content. Unlike normal metadata, the watermark forms part of the content itself and is designed to remain detectable even after the media is doctored, such as cropping, applying filters or lossy compression.

The image was also analysed using other AI-detection tools. Undetectable AI flagged the visual as 99 per cent doctored, while Fake Image Detector flagged it as 71pc AI-generated.

Meanwhile, Truthscan flagged the image as 99pc AI-generated and Sightengine labelled it as 72pc doctored.

iVerify also reached out to Express Tribune KP bureau chief Shahid Hamid, who confirmed that the Home Department had been contacted to verify the alleged notification and that it was found to be fake.

Furthermore, Dawn correspondent Zahid Imdad said that a deputy inspector general of police posted in KP had also confirmed the notification was fake and that nothing of the sort had been issued.

The official fact-check account of the KP government also issued a statement on X dated Oct 13, 2026, saying the viral notification was fake.

The statement read, “A fake notification is currently being circulated on social media, falsely claiming that the KP Home Department has directed the identification and arrest of PTI workers across the province.”

It continued, “The fabricated notification also bears a fake name of the chief secretary/official signatory, misleading the public and creating a false impression of politically motivated state action. The public is advised to verify official notifications through authentic government channels and refrain from sharing unverified information.”

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral notification from the KP Home Department orders the identification and arrest of PTI workers across the province is false.

The notification is fake and AI-generated.

EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES

Oct 13, 2026, X post:
https://x.com/factcheckkpgovt/status/2110014074197029352

Apr 6, 2023, X post:
https://x.com/HTADKPGovt/status/1644028752135856128/photo/1