Imran Khan shared AI-generated images of May 9 protests to build narrative

Pakistan'S former prime minister and Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan honoured the courageous women fighting for what he called "real freedom" in a video he shared on his social media handle on Friday but is now facing wrath as a fact-checking report suggests that the images were apparently fake and AI-generated.

The video includes images and footage that show the protests that broke out between PTI supporters and police officers when the former premier was taken into custody earlier this month in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust issue.

The video, titled "Sinf-e-Ahan," ends with a picture of a lady bravely confronting riot police. "The way Pakistani women stood up for Haqeeqi Azadi, they will be remembered and become part of our democratic history. Also what will never be forgotten is the brutality of our security forces and the shameless way they went out of their way to abuse, hurt and humiliate our women," Khan captioned the video in his tweet where he added, "Hundreds were languishing in jail in terrible conditions. This too won’t be forgotten."

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Fact-checking, AI-generated images

It has since been discovered that the image was created using artificial intelligence (AI) software. Investigative and fact-checking reports from other international media sites have said that the images are fabricated. According to France 24, the AI-generated image and two out-of-context videos were shared in favour of the former prime minister on social media.

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“An AI-generated photo and two out-of-context videos are being presented as images from Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf nationwide demonstrations in support of former prime minister Imran Khan,” France 24 wrote in a caption while sharing the fact-check video.

Pakistan minister Marriyum Aurangzeb slams Imran Khan

Imran was criticised for tweeting the phony photo by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. She claimed that the former prime minister made fun of security officers by saying that his female followers were being targeted by law enforcement. "In fact, no such incident occurred and his lie was exposed by a television channel from France," she said during a presser in Islamabad.

“On May 19, in a tweet, Imran Khan uploaded pictures of Rangers and police in front of a woman’s picture created by artificial intelligence,” she said.

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She also added that Khan and his party tried to give a wrong impression that his party’s female supporters were victimised by law enforcement agencies. She categorically stated that no fundamental rights of anyone were violated during the crackdown on May 9.“Imran Khan had been planning such terrorist activities for the past 14 months when he was thrown out of power through the democratic process of no-confidence motion,” she said.

Pak army chief on May 9 protests

General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) said Saturday that the legal trial against those responsible for the violence on May 9, the day Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was detained, has begun, reported ARY News.

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“The legal process of trial against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators involved in May 9 tragedy has commenced under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act as per existing and established legal procedures derived from the Constitution of Pakistan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) quoted the army chief as saying.

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