Posts from multiple users on social media platform X on Thursday claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur removed Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif as his information adviser and shared an alleged notification of the decision. However, the viral notification is fake and no such development has occurred.
A standoff currently persists between the federal government and the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM). The federal government proscribed the group on Sunday and outlawed any of its gatherings. However, the group has vowed to go ahead with a large-scale event in Khyber district from Oct 11-13.
Amid the situation, Barrister Saif released a video message endorsing the federal government’s stance, saying that the proscribed organisation could not hold its meeting in Khyber as the district administration had imposed a ban on gatherings under Section 144.
Soon after the KP government spokesperson’s video message, multiple posts proliferated on X in the early hours of Thursday, claiming that CM Gandapur had relieved Saif of his duties.
Journalist Shakir Mehmood Awan made a post on X with the caption: “How did you like the decision? KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur dismissed Barrister Saif from the post of information adviser.”
The post gained over 63,000 views and was reshared 1,900 times.
The alleged notification cited the reason for his removal as: “The statement was issued without informing the chief minister.”
A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality, the public’s keen interest in the PTM’s gathering, as well as the PTI’s stance on the issue and because some users disputed the alleged notification and removal.
Upon contacting the authorities said that the notification circulating in WhatsApp groups regarding removal of Barrister Saif as adviser to CM on information is fake.
