A doctored image circulating on social media since July 3, 2026, falsely attributes a statement to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, alleging he defended the grandson of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in a rape case involving two foreign nationals. The claim is entirely false, and the image has been digitally altered.
Origin of the False Claim
On July 3, an account appearing to support the PTI party shared an image on X (formerly Twitter) claiming it showed Tarar's statement on the case. The fabricated quote read: “Raza Dar is young, such mistakes happen in youth. If he committed rape, it’s not the end of the world. If CCD (Crime Control Department) is letting off a few people, what’s social media’s problem?” The post garnered 42,400 views and was captioned: “But this was the last thing I needed to hear. I told you, didn’t I, how shameless these people are.” The same claim and visual were widely shared on Facebook and X.
Fact-Checking Process
A fact-check was initiated due to public interest. A keyword search found no credible Pakistani media coverage of Tarar making such remarks. However, an advanced search on X revealed a similar post by Azaad Digital, a Pakistani digital media outlet, dated May 2, 2025. That image featured a quote from Tarar: “Omer Ayub’s grandfather was the president of Pakistan, and my grandfather was also the president, but there is more patriotism in my blood.” The barcode on the viral image matched that of this older post.
Original Context Revealed
The barcode linked to an ARY News post from May 2, 2025, featuring footage from the talk show Khabar Muhammad Malick Kay Saath. In the clip, Tarar said: “Omar Ayub’s grandfather was the president of Pakistan, and so was my grandfather, but patriotism runs in my blood.” This statement was made in a political context, not related to Dar's grandson or any rape case. Visual comparison also showed discrepancies in font style and size, confirming the viral image was doctored.
Conclusion
The claim that Attaullah Tarar defended Ishaq Dar's grandson in a rape case is false. The viral image is doctored, and Tarar never made such remarks. The original quote was taken out of context and altered to spread misinformation.
