PIB Fact Check: Viral Video Of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi Claiming 'Saffronisation' Of Indian Army Is Fake, AI-Generated Clip Circulating Online

Mumbai, November 04: A video is making rounds on social media in which Colonel Sofia Qureshi is seen alleging saffronisation of the Indian Army and claiming that Trishul exercises are nothing but a political gimmick to sway the Bihar elections. The video which is being widely circulated on social media is deepfake and shared by Pakistani propaganda accounts. PIB fact checked the video and said that the video is digitally altered and the claims being made in the video are false.

Fake Video Circulating

The AI-generated video shows Colonel Sofia Qureshi saying, “These Trishul exercises are nothing but a political gimmick to sway the Bihar elections. I’m done being used as a prop for Muslim support. I can’t stand the saffronisation of the Indian Army.”

Deepfake Video Alert

Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally altered video of Colonel Sofia Qureshi making false claims that Trishul exercises are nothing but a political gimmick to sway the Bihar elections.#PIBFactCheck

❌Colonel Sofia Qureshi has NOT… pic.twitter.com/rbp8sBZnrG

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) November 3, 2025

Original Video

However, the original video is posted on ANI's YouTube channel. It is from the Young Leaders Forum which was organised in Delhi, where Colonel Sofia Qureshi said, “Responsibilities for defending a nation are not just the military’s game; civilians also play a role in addressing external and internal threats. Over the years, the Indian army has trained officers and troops in ‘Saashtra’ and ‘Shashtra."

Watch Original VIDEO Here:

She further stated, "Saashtra’ means knowledge, strategy, and wisdom, while ‘Shashtra’ means weaponry and warfare, representing a blend of intellect and strength... Every generation has carried the flame of patriotism, from baby boomers to Gen Z."

3982
ANALYSIS: Fake

FACT: Pakistani propaganda accounts are sharing a digitally altered video of Indian Army officer Sofiya Qureshi, falsely claiming that she said we are being used as a prop and these military exercises are nothing but a political gimmick aimed (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Tfv49sKM8F

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) November 3, 2025

She also said, "Be it 7 decades ago or Operation Sindoor, you all have witnessed it. You, the ‘Yuva Shakti of Bharat,’ you are the force of multipliers. You are not only trained in firepower, but also in firewalls. You are ready to face kinetic and non-kinetic domains... War is not only fought in bunkers or with bullets, but also with bites and bandwidths."

AI-Generated Video

The PIB Fact Check team clarified that the viral version was manipulated using AI to misrepresent the officer’s remarks and urged citizens not to share misleading or doctored content.

Fact Check Verdict: Fake Video - The viral clip of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi has been artificially altered using AI technology. The original video shared by ANI contains no political or controversial remarks.

news