Web Desk: Pakistan’s political debate has increasingly spilled onto social media, with artificial intelligence-generated videos and images circulating widely as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf prepares for a planned march on Islamabad.
A PTI-aligned statement accused government-linked media operations of repeatedly promoting what it described as fabricated videos and misleading narratives, arguing that the growing use of synthetic content reflected heightened political tensions ahead of the Oct. 4 protest.
The claims come as fact-checkers have identified several AI-generated pieces of content circulating online in connection with the PTI protest.
In one recent case, an AI-generated video circulated online purportedly showing young Pakistanis urging people not to participate in violent protests. Fact-checkers determined that the video was artificially generated rather than genuine footage.
Similarly, an AI-generated image portraying Islamabad as being completely sealed by shipping containers circulated ahead of the planned PTI march. AFP reported that the image contained visual anomalies associated with AI-generated media and did not accurately represent conditions in the capital.
The developments have added another layer to an already intense political contest, with competing narratives spreading rapidly across social media platforms.
The PTI-aligned statement accused government institutions and official media channels of using fabricated material to shape public perceptions of the party and its supporters.
It also rejected what it described as attempts to portray public sentiment against the government as manufactured, arguing instead that dissatisfaction expressed on social media reflected genuine public opinion.
The statement did not provide independent evidence to substantiate its broader allegations concerning government media operations.
Meanwhile, PTI maintains a dedicated social media network that says it promotes the party’s manifesto and political message across major platforms. The party describes its social media operation as involving more than 150 volunteers working around the clock.
The dispute over online content comes as tensions between PTI and the federal government remain high ahead of the party’s planned Oct. 4 march.
PTI leaders have said the march will proceed as planned, while government officials have said authorities have arrangements in place to prevent the protest from entering Islamabad.
At the same time, government and PTI representatives began formal talks on Friday in an effort to ease tensions. The two sides were due to meet again on Saturday, according to local media reports.
As political activity intensifies, the growing use of AI-generated material is making it increasingly difficult for social media users to distinguish genuine footage from synthetic content, adding another challenge to an already polarised information environment.
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