Pakistan Army Chief gifts fake war image to PM Shehbaz Sharif, sparks online mockery
New Delhi: In a major embarrassment for the Pakistan Army, a photograph gifted by Army Chief General Asim Munir to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif—claimed to depict Pakistani military action against India—has been revealed to be from a Chinese military drill held in 2017. The image, presented as part of a framed souvenir during a high-profile “victory” dinner hosted by the Army Chief, quickly drew criticism and ridicule after users on social media identified the error.
The report, first aggregated by The Print, states that the event was held on Saturday to honour Pakistan’s political leadership and the armed forces' "unwavering commitment". Among those present were President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, federal ministers, governors, chief ministers, and top military officials including service chiefs and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
A photograph from the event showing both Munir and Sharif holding the framed image soon went viral on social media. Observers were quick to point out that the picture did not depict the Pakistani Army, but was actually from a Chinese military exercise. This revelation has since sparked widespread criticism and mockery online.
Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui was among the first to flag the issue. Quoted by The Print, Siddiqui posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Apparently the Pakistan Army Chief has gifted PM Shehbaz Sharif a dated Chinese military photo as a souvenir to illustrate Pak Army attack against India. So not just a fake victory narrative but also a fake photo with it.”
In a conversation with The Print, Siddiqui explained how he discovered the discrepancy. “I saw the original photo being shared by local media in Pakistan and then saw other accounts sharing that it may be Chinese weaponry. Following which I did some reverse Google imaging and voila: It was indeed a Chinese arms photo from some years ago,” he said.
Several users online described the blunder as “meme-worthy,” calling it symbolic of the growing gap between Pakistan’s military narrative and reality. One user wrote, “This is more than a meme-worthy blunder—it’s a systemic tell. When Pakistan’s top general gifts the Prime Minister a recycled Chinese artillery image as ‘proof of success’, it reveals how disconnected their narrative machine is from operational truth.”
Siddiqui, now in exile, told The Print that the choice of image might also be a subtle attempt to flatter China, Pakistan’s key defence supplier. “Using Chinese imagery could be a way to say thank you,” he speculated, suggesting it may have been aimed at appealing to Beijing, which is also embroiled in its own border tensions with India.
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Man chased, brutally stabbed inside public toilet in northwest Delhi; one arrested; juvenile held
New Delhi (PTI): An alleged road rage incident took a fatal turn when a 27-year-old factory worker was chased down by assailants and stabbed multiple times inside a public toilet in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar area, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday night, when witnesses saw the victim, Santosh Kumar, running into a public toilet in a desperate bid to save his life, with his attackers hot on his heels.
"A PCR call was received at 6:23 pm on April 8 regarding a man being stabbed inside the compound of a Sulabh Sauchalaya located at the fish market in Wazirpur Industrial Area," a senior police officer said.
A police team rushed to the spot and found the victim lying in a pool of blood inside the toilet premises. The victim, originally from Nepal, was residing in Macchi Market area, the official said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the incident stemmed from an altercation between the victim and a motorcycle rider. The verbal spat soon escalated into a physical scuffle, during which the accused, along with an associate, allegedly attacked Santosh with a knife.
Police sources said in a desperate attempt to save himself, the injured victim ran towards the nearby public toilet and tried to latch the door from inside. Eyewitness accounts suggest he tried to take refuge inside the public toilet and shut the door to prevent his attackers from entering. However, he was chased down, overpowered, and stabbed multiple times.
Santosh collapsed on the spot, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.
A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intentions) was registered at Ashok Vihar police station and an investigation was taken up.
During the probe, police arrested one accused identified as Tanish (19), a resident of CSA Colony in Macchi Market area, and apprehended a juvenile allegedly involved in the incident.
Police said the motorcycle used by the accused, which they had abandoned while fleeing after the attack, was recovered near the crime scene.
Family members and acquaintances of the deceased expressed shock over the killing. Santosh's uncle, who reached the spot after being informed, recounted the scene.
"When I came here, I saw him lying on the floor, dead. I noticed that he had been stabbed twice. I am not aware of what exactly happened. He was just 27 years old and used to work in a steel company with me. I don't know how many people were involved in the attack. We are from Nepal, and I have been working here for 15 years. I think he was stabbed outside and later came inside the toilet to save himself. There was a bike outside which I think belonged to the attackers," he said.
Police said the motive behind the crime appears to be road rage -- a sudden and heated altercation on the road that spiralled into a violent assault resulting in the victim's death.
Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend any other persons involved in the attack. Police teams are analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area and examining local witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
