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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Tribal couple, son hacked to death over witchcraft suspicion in Jharkhand's Godda
Godda (Jharkhand) (PTI): A tribal couple and their minor son were allegedly hacked to death by their relatives in Jharkhand's Godda district over suspicion of practising witchcraft, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place in Danga Tola under Deodanr police station area late on Monday and police recovered their bodies on Tuesday.
"A tribal couple and their minor son were hacked to death at Danga Tola in Godda. Preliminary investigation suggests the victims were killed over suspicion of practising witchcraft," Godda Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashok Ravidas told PTI.
Three persons have been arrested so far, he said.
"Police have arrested three persons in this connection. During initial interrogation, the accused told the police that they suspected that the victims were practising witchcraft," the SDPO said.
The axe used to kill them has also been recovered, and further investigation into the matter is underway, he said.
Deodanr police station officer-in-charge Amit Marki said the deceased tribal couple has been identified as Darbari Murmu (55) and his wife Maki Baski (50).
Their deceased son was around 12 years old. The bodies have been sent to Sadar Hospital in Godda for post-mortem examination.
