A viral visual claiming Imran Khan's release this week is false, with ARY News confirming it never broadcast such news, and fact-checking revealing the image as fabricated.
A recent social media trend has been circulating a purported ARY News visual, claiming that former Prime Minister Imran Khan will be released from prison this week on humanitarian grounds. However, this claim has been thoroughly debunked as false. The head of assignment at ARY News has categorically denied the news, stating that the outlet never broadcast such information.
The alleged ARY News visual, which has been shared by multiple users on social media, quotes a statement from Sanaullah regarding Imran Khan's impending release. Nevertheless, an investigation has revealed that the image is fabricated, and the news outlet did not run any such story. Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023 for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts, is currently serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail in the £190 million corruption case.
The former prime minister's party and family have been vocal about his imprisonment, alleging that he is being kept in solitary confinement with restrictions on visitors. They have also raised concerns over his medical treatment, particularly after it was revealed in January that he suffered an eye ailment. Imran Khan's sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, have been actively campaigning for his release.
The fabricated visual first appeared on social media on May 13, when a pro-PTI account shared an image of the alleged ARY News bulletin. The post gained significant traction, with over 129,500 views. Other users subsequently shared the same image, questioning the authenticity of the news. A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim, given the keen public interest in Imran Khan's incarceration and speculation surrounding his possible release.
Upon inspecting the image, several visual discrepancies were noticed, including Sanaullah's ears appearing noticeably blurred and distorted. The yellow color used for the Urdu "Breaking News" label was also slightly darker than the outlet's original broadcast graphics. Furthermore, the "LIVE" bug and "ARY NEWS" logo at the bottom-right corner were blurry and of lower resolution, indicating possible digital manipulation. Forensic tools, including Fake Image Detector, flagged the image as a 100% "computer-generated or modified image".
When contacted for comment, Fayyaz Hyder Mangi, head of assignment at ARY News, confirmed that the information was false and that the outlet never broadcast such news. The absence of the single red ticker line above the English ticker further confirmed that the visual was fabricated using the outlet's color scheme and branding to mislead viewers. No statements from the PTI leadership, social media pages, or Imran Khan's family were found to support the claim.
In conclusion, the claim that an ARY News visual shows a quote from Sanaullah about Imran Khan's release this week on humanitarian grounds is entirely false. The visual is fabricated, and the outlet did not air any such news. This incident highlights the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before sharing it on social media to prevent the spread of misinformation.
