Journalists and news outlets have a job to safeguard the public against misinformation. While many try to avoid getting into rumors, it seems that this most basic journalistic ethic is lost on the Indian media outlets, who were recently caught spinning a long yarn and making it ‘news’. Indian media says there is a civil war outbreak in ‘Karanchi.‘ And as usual, Pakistanis responded by turning their effort at fake news, into one big fat joke.
Here’s what happened. According to Indian media outlets and verified Twitter accounts:
Something very alarming is happening in Karachi right now. Sindh govt has been overthrown by Rawalpindi Army HQ. Many clash reported in Sindh police and Pak army.
Pakistan Army Takes over All Police Stations in Karachi. pic.twitter.com/THXOzZwzDA
— My Vadodara (@MyVadodara) October 21, 2020
Civil War breaks out in Pakistan
In last 15 hrs Pak Army
-Killed 10 police officers in Karanchi
-Crushed few civilians by armoured vehicle
-Abducted IG of Sindh Police– Police also killed 5 Army Jawans
– Now Sindh police officers going on mass leave
– #BlastInKarachi https://t.co/kJsZQMYZBa pic.twitter.com/kU7UR19YD8— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) October 21, 2020
Not that ‘fake news’ isn’t a common phenomenon, but to see it spread like wildfire on Indian social media was alarming for everyone. Netizens couldn’t hold back from sharing their opinions on the ‘news‘.
Dear Modi media, this is fake news. Instead of reporting fake news and indulging in propaganda, go do some research. https://t.co/J3p5hxkBf4
— Mehmal Sarfraz (@Mehmal) October 21, 2020
Here’s how Pakistani Twitterati reacted to the ‘Civil War in Karachi’.
What are they on?
Man imagine the amount of acid this dude must have dropped #BadTrip https://t.co/eOu4Z535St
— ∞̵̡̞̙̬͔̞͓̯̗̫̮̰̹̝̓̒̃͊̇̈́͝ (@spopalzai) October 21, 2020
This is the reason why drinking cow urine is not such a good idea. https://t.co/a8OxXGI2DP
— Nadeem Farooq Paracha (@NadeemfParacha) October 21, 2020
If the civil war was real…
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
— g h a u r a (@ghauraghaura) October 21, 2020
Well saddar shopkeepers have dug trenches and are converting their electronics into IEDs
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) October 21, 2020
Visuals of Ironman flying above gulshan-e-baagh. Pls RT @ippatel pic.twitter.com/oHuF96gyua
— فریحہ ✪ (@fay_alif) October 21, 2020
Fake news. Police isn't demanding Sindhudesh. They are demanding Azad Muhajiristan. https://t.co/e5jvvngnIy
— Ali (@Bhuut_) October 21, 2020
The occupied forces are now making announcements from the mosques in Gulshan-e-Bagh "Janab, aapsab log ghar se bahar mat niklayn, bhara buhat jyada khatra hay"
— Unprecedented (@soft_signal) October 21, 2020
During all this carnage in karachi, Katrina kaif appears out of nowhere. pic.twitter.com/FbUnJTEtxq
— Shumail (@Shumyl) October 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/Le_Sabre54/status/1318921067038199812
https://twitter.com/PremRathee/status/1318649173651095556
Breaking News: Latest Video of Pakistan Army Helicopter Landing on a Road during a clash with Sindh Police at Gulshan-e-Bagh in Karachi. pic.twitter.com/RKpARYQaGx
— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoor_ze) October 21, 2020
They passed away chanting the words ‘kesa diya?’
Tarek Fatah retweeted this 😂 pic.twitter.com/3h7SpaZbpD
— Ali Usman Qasmi (@AU_Qasmi) October 21, 2020
Pic 1: moments before #PakArmy Major Farajuddin was martyred by Sindh Police Constable Shabuddin Janabzaada.
Pic 2: Major Farajuddin during his War College Days. #CivilWarinPakistan pic.twitter.com/XS5btkzhY9
— sugar kaka (@sugar_kaka) October 21, 2020
Terrible terrible news. Acc to reports Farajuddin didnt want to fight the constable and he asked him if he would like to watch ghalib. Instead of dropping his gun the sindh constable opened fire. Gone to soon. https://t.co/XOhoLCdoX3
— Danyal (@Danny_danyal23) October 21, 2020
What about the hostages?
As the civil war between Sindh Singham police and Army expands to other cities, Army personnel have captured different Pvt TV news channels and started broadcasting Pakistan positive news https://t.co/WBhEsiS5dH pic.twitter.com/NduIvn6V7W
— Blue on Blue (@RavensLaire) October 21, 2020
The horrifying tales from ‘Gulshan e Bagh’
Omg they found relatives in Gulshan e Bagh 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Yj4x6guONW
— Main Abdul Majid Hoon (@ComicsByMajid) October 21, 2020
Public Protests
Situation is very serious at Bombay Bakery Hyderabad and Delhi Sweet House Burns Road https://t.co/A484yIlRUO
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) October 21, 2020
I've just bought two Tipu missiles from Boat Basin
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) October 21, 2020
The drastic unrest in Karanchi
The closest thing to a civil war I saw today was Civil Lines police station. And the only artillery I can see from my balcony is Artillery Maidan thana
— Talat Aslam (@titojourno) October 21, 2020
Speaking of Gola and Barood I have to rush towards Dhoraji https://t.co/RSG00qhbWK
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) October 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/Le_Sabre54/status/1318915375560613889?s=19
Karachi IRL
Karachi on Karachi irl:@CNNnews18: pic.twitter.com/qlgeJ9NSi8
— فریحہ ✪ (@fay_alif) October 21, 2020
We hope the civil war in Karanchi, especially in Gulshan e Bagh (which we really can’t locate on a map), ends soon.
As for Twitter, they really need to take care of accounts that spread fake news. But of course, since Twitter’s moderators from South Asian region are based in India, we will leave it to our readers to guess why those fake tweets are still up.
Have anything to add? Let us know in the comments section.
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