Fact-check: Doctored audio misrepresents KP CM Sohail Afridi's speech at PTI rally

Following a political rally held by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 7, a video clip began circulating widely online. It claimed that Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi had said that dogs were dearer to him than his own parents, in response to a press conference by the director general of the Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR).

The claim is false. The audio added to the clip is not genuine and has been inserted to misrepresent Afridi’s remarks.

Claim

On December 7, a user on X, formerly Twitter, posted a 29-second video that he claimed showed KP CM Afridi speaking at a PTI rally in Peshawar.

The user wrote: “DG ISPR, you called Imran Khan a dog. We are devotees of Imran’s love; even the dogs of our beloved streets are dearer to us than our own parents.”

In the video, Afridi can supposedly be heard saying: “ISPR sahib, you called Imran Khan a dog. A dog is an innocent animal. I would even sacrifice my life for Imran Khan. We are devoted to the love of Imran. Even dogs of the beloved streets are dearer to us than our own parents. If you call my leader a dog, we will love him even more.”

At the time of writing, the post had gained more than 102,000 views, 474 reposts and 904 likes.

Identical videos have been shared on Facebook here, here, and here, as well as on Instagram here and here, racking up more than 320,000 views.

Fact

KP CM Afridi made no such remarks about former prime minister Khan during the rally in Peshawar.

Independent checks confirm that the viral clip was created using Artificial Intelligence tools to replace the original audio.

Geo Fact Check reviewed the livestream of the rally on the official YouTube channel of PTI. The portion of the speech used in the viral clip appears at the 2:35:54 mark.

At that point, Afridi actually said: “I congratulate Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf, Insaf Youth Wing, Insaf Student Federation, Insaf Doctors Forum, Insaf Lawyers Forum, as well as our minority and other wings on holding a successful rally. I also thank all of you for giving me this honour because of Imran Khan.”

The voice heard in the misleading video is noticeably different from Afridi’s real voice, confirming that the audio has been altered.

Additionally, Geo Fact Check reviewed the full live stream available on PTI’s official YouTube channel, which confirmed that none of the leaders who spoke at the Peshawar rally used such words in their speeches.

Regarding the DG ISPR’s presser, Afridi only stated that he would not use the same words the DG had used in his press conference. He did not make any of the inflammatory remarks circulating online.

Verdict: The circulating video uses doctored audio.

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