Pakistan's Foreign Minister Faces Backlash Over False Air Force Claim

False Claims in the Senate

Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, recently found himself in a difficult position after making an inaccurate statement regarding the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during a Senate session. He referenced a report from The Daily Telegraph, which he claimed stated that the PAF is the 'undisputed king of the skies.' This assertion was met with applause from fellow senators but quickly went viral on social media.

However, a fact-check conducted by a Pakistani newspaper revealed that no such article had ever been published by The Daily Telegraph.

Media Response and Fact-Checking

The Dawn, a prominent Pakistani publication, utilized its iVerify platform to confirm that the alleged report from The Daily Telegraph does not exist. This revelation has raised questions about the credibility of Dar's claims.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT Cell, criticized Dar's statement on social media, suggesting it was a desperate attempt to maintain credibility. He highlighted that even The Dawn felt it necessary to fact-check the foreign minister's claims, further damaging Pakistan's reputation.

Interestingly, the fabricated headline was initially circulated by some Indian media outlets, including The Hindu. However, with The Dawn's fact-checking, the credibility of both Pakistan and its supporters in India has been severely undermined.

Official Fact-Check

The fact-checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) also addressed the issue, stating that an image circulating on social media, purportedly showing the front page of The Daily Telegraph with the headline 'Pakistan Air Force: The undisputed king of the skies' dated May 10, 2025, is indeed false.

Social Media Reactions

Pakistan’s propaganda is quickly falling apart, exposing a web of lies and desperation. In a blatant attempt to save face, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar misled the country’s Senate by claiming that The Telegraph had declared the Pakistan Air Force as the “Undisputed King of the… pic.twitter.com/MBA6gVb5M6

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 16, 2025

An image circulating on social media claims to show the front page of UK-based newspaper The Daily Telegraph, featuring a headline that reads: "Pakistan Air Force: The undisputed king of the skies” dated 10th May 2025#PIBFactCheck

✔️This claim is #false

✔️The image being… pic.twitter.com/8hxskb5aM4

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 16, 2025