Did Pakistan descend into civil war? Have Sindhis revolted against Islamabad? Were there pitched battles on the streets of Karachi?
If you followed some prominent handles on social media as well as mainstream news media from India, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was indeed the case.
Pak Army takes over all Police Stations of Karachi.
— Prashant Patel Umrao (@ippatel) October 21, 2020
Now US Carrier Battle Group is stationed right next to Karachi coast, so anything can happen in next 24 hours.
#ImranUnderSeige - Civil War breaks out in Pakistan.
— CNNNews18 (@CNNnews18) October 21, 2020
Clashes between Sindh Police and Pakistan Army.
Chorus for Imran Khan’s ouster grows.
Massive explosion in Karachi kills 5@Arunima24 reports from New Delhi.
Join @AnchorAnandN on #TheRightStand pic.twitter.com/aMDXNwX5yq
3 dead, 15 injured in Karachi blast as 'civil war' like situation emerges in Pakistanhttps://t.co/J0851qpyM4#karachiblast #Karachi
— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) October 21, 2020
Pak army takes over Karachi’s police stations as clashes break out between police & army in Sindh following bomb attack that kills 5. Casualties could mount amid civil strife against PM @ImranKhanPTI #karachiblast
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) October 21, 2020
Fake news
There was, of course, nothing of the sort. Here’s Micheal Kugalman, a South Asia expert from the Wilson Center in the United State’s clearing the air.
Indian disinformation accounts are exploiting Pakistan's current political crisis and falsely claiming that the country is now experiencing urban warfare and other serious instability. Dangerous and disturbing; several of these accounts are verified, with large followings. Ugh.
— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) October 21, 2020
The fake news was based on an incident in Pakistan where Opposition leader and former prime minister Nawax Sharif’s son-in-law was arrested in Karachi on Monday, allegedly at the behest of the Pakistan Army. In protest, many senior officials of the Sindh Police had gone on leave.
Reacting with humour
Soon, however, Pakistani accounts started to mock the fake news that Karachi had become a war zone as a civil war between Sindhi and federal forces rocked the city. Much of this took the form of pushing highly exaggerated, fictional account of the “civil war”.
BREAKING NEWS: WE HAVE VISUALS COMING IN FROM KARACHI SHOWING THAT CITIZENS HAVE NOW JOINED THE CIVIL WAR AND ARE FIGHTING PAK AIR FORCE pic.twitter.com/pOV3MMXDg6
— Ghaura (@ghauraghaura) October 21, 2020
BREAKING NEWS!
— Haris Khan (@haris1khan) October 21, 2020
THIS BRAVE KARACHI CITIZEN FROM GULSHAN-E-BAGH HAS JUST STOPPED A PAF PLANE FROM LANDING ALL BY HIMSELF! THE CITIZENS ARE REVOLTING AGAINST THE ARMY!#CivilWarinPakistan pic.twitter.com/pKu6xYoWUU
Breaking News: After civil war in Karachi, Godzilla attacks Lahore.
— Nadeem Farooq Paracha (@NadeemfParacha) October 21, 2020
Source: Indian news channels. pic.twitter.com/UY5xqGsIrB
Live from Gulistan-e-Bagh Karachi. A policeman in civil dress during the great #CivilWarInPakistan (WW3). pic.twitter.com/zwsqkyIciu
— Ray (@iKarachiwala) October 21, 2020
Location: Clifton beach, Karachi#CivilWarInPakistan pic.twitter.com/sUxM3wcze1
— Farzan Tufail (@Farzantufail786) October 21, 2020
OH MY GOD!
— Shehzad Ghias Shaikh (@Shehzad89) October 21, 2020
Just went out in Karachi and witnessed the civil war myself.
This is Karachi airport: pic.twitter.com/sFCyBvKYI4
Karachi Seaport today morning #CivilWarInPakistan #CivilWar pic.twitter.com/hJNBtlkLNU
— I A (@Talentless___) October 21, 2020
The police stations have been overrun in Karachi. There is complete media blackout and people have risked their lives to take these pictures#CivilWarinPakistan pic.twitter.com/PVcVoMIbCO
— Hasan Saeed (@hasansaeed6) October 21, 2020
Sindh Police Inspector John Bhutto spotted near Clifton, karachi#CivilWar#CivilWarInPakistan pic.twitter.com/3sBYoz0gUG
— Junaid Badar (@JunaidBadar10) October 21, 2020
According to Indian Media, Scene of #CivilWarInPakistan
— Elif Ahmet 🇹🇷 (@ElifAhmetTurkey) October 22, 2020
Everybody please Pray for Karachi 😁#CivilWar
pic.twitter.com/LNp0Vn8ejp
#Breaking
— Mughees Hassan (@Mughees_Speaks) October 22, 2020
India Media: Sindh Police just shot down a JF-17 thunder of Pakistan Airforce in a dogfight near Karachi by using the most advance jet in the world called "Madni Tiara".#CivilWarInPakistan #CivilWarInKarachi pic.twitter.com/lSdAZCjr3C
Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious. Multiple cows have been killed & people are dying of over eating. #IndianMedia 😂
— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) October 21, 2020
Karachi on Karachi irl:@CNNnews18: pic.twitter.com/qlgeJ9NSi8
— meltdown dealer (@fay_alif) October 21, 2020
Some off-the-record scenes from Karachi that Pakistani media won't show you.
— Jogba (@NotYourPogba) October 21, 2020
Karachi has become a mess after the Pak Army vs Sindh Police fight 😭 pic.twitter.com/ba0wl7w4LZ
Reason for the Civil War in Pakistan
— Komedi stan acc 😎 (@SherjeelX) October 21, 2020
Biryani vs Pulao#CivilWarInPakistan #Karachicivilwar pic.twitter.com/nJHDH2Kl4u
BIG BREAKING
— Wasif ♐♒ (@Wasif2020_) October 20, 2020
HYDROGEN BOMB ATTACK ON DIFFERENT POLICE STATIONS IN KARACHI BY PAKISTAN ARMY, ALSO THERE ARE INCOMING REPORTS THAT PAF JF-17 HAS SHOT DOWN SINDH POLICE F-7P/G. PILOT EJECTED.
BE SAFE EVERYONE
