Al Jazeera amplifies fake news, originally peddled by Pakistan about ‘capture’ of IAF pilot Shivani Singh: Here is the truth
Lies and embarrassment have been the constant companions of Pakistan. The Pakistani government, its army and its populace draw joy from claiming imaginary victories. In sustaining these lies, the global Islamo-leftist media outlets also play a key role. In this vein, the Qatar-based jihadist propaganda outlet Al Jazeera, on the 9th May, claimed that Pakistani forces had captured an Indian Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh. However, Pakistan DGISPR has denied having captured any Indian pilot.
Al-Jazeera correspondent Kamal Hyder cited Pakistani military ‘sources’ to claim that Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Shivani Singh was taken into custody by the Pakistan Army after the Pakistani forces shot down a Rafale fighter jet Singh was flying. As Al-Jazeera made this claim based on Pakistani sources and without confirming the facts with the Indian Air Force, Pakistani social media users widely circulated this claim even though neither Al Jazeera nor the Pakistani forces had shown evidence of shooting the Rafale jet or capturing Singh after she supposedly ejected.
However, during a press conference on 11th May, Director General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, confirmed that none of the Indian pilots have been taken into custody by Pakistani forces. The Pakistani DG ISPR said that the claims of the capture of an Indian female pilot were only social media chatter. This came in response to a reporter’s question that international media have reported the capture of an Indian female pilot by Pakistan, and whether this is true and if true, is Pakistan will return the pilot.
“So, I can confirm you, we don’t have any pilot in custody. This is all social media chatter. This is all part of multiple sources of fake news and propaganda that has been generated from multiple sources,” the DG ISPR said.
Notably, even before DG ISPR clarified that none of the Indian pilots are in Pakistan’s custody, India’s Press Information Bureau had fact-checked Al-Jazeera for apparently passing off its wishful thinking as a ‘source-based’ report.
“Indian Female Air Force pilot has NOT been captured. Pro-Pakistan social media handles claim that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan. This claim is FAKE!,” the PIB India said.
On 11th May, senior journalist Shiv Aroor said that Squadron Leader Shivani Singh is at her base and on duty. Aroor had this confirmation after speaking to her.
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