On Tuesday, a ‘deep fake’ video showing Prime Minister Imran Khan and former premier Nawaz Sharif singing a classic song went viral on Twitter. In the video, the fake Sharif and Khan are seen lip-syncing a song while on a video call with each other. It is unclear, however, as to who made the video.
WHO MADE THIS HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/8vPX63nhtH
— Habibullah Khan (@Huk06) October 21, 2020
Read more: PDM’s jalsa in Gujranwala: Has Nawaz Sharif’s speech put the government on defensive?
Not surprisingly, the video left Twitter users in fits of laughter. It has gathered hundreds of likes, retweets, and quote tweets and more than 16 thousand views in 24 hours. A few reactions are shared below.
hahahaha whoever made this deserves an award https://t.co/BevGXvQwMY
— W.H.Malik (@barcaaboy) October 21, 2020
Journalist and Editor, Shaheryar Mirza, has also shared this response by retweeting the video.
Love it https://t.co/w1PtvL259h
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) October 21, 2020
Although the majority has received the video as it was intended, a joke, it also stirred negative reactions from several Twitter users who think the video is dangerous and can have unintended consequences. The video can be taken out of proportion which is a common norm on social media.
Read more: Will Nawaz Sharif address PDM’s next rally in Quetta on October 25?
A Twitter user, Riaz A. Khokhar, believes it is too dangerous to risk someone’s life and career over a fake video that many could potentially be mistaken as a real one.
You may well find it funny but this is so dangerous. Deefakes can ruin someone's career and even life. People can't even differentiate between real and fake video. https://t.co/u42t48lwvT
— Riaz Khokhar (@Riaz1Khokhar) October 21, 2020
Another Twitter user, Hija Kamran, expresses her concern over the potential dangers of deep fakes.
This is a remarkable example of how troubling deepfakes are. If anything, this is a cause of concern and everyone should be worried. https://t.co/5mF0iDN4C6
— Hija Kamran (@hijakamran) October 21, 2020
The political rift between PM Imran, Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif on October 16 addressed a rally of the opposition parties from London. In his speech, Nawaz accused the establishment of ‘stealing the public mandate’ and ‘installing an incompetent government’. The PML-N supremo also demanded answers from the establishment ‘failing this nation’. “This incompetent government has made lives of the masses miserable,” he said.
He also blamed the establishment for ousting him through ‘controlling and dictating the courts’. Notably, it is not for the first time that Nawaz slammed the security establishment for ‘political engineering’. Nawaz’s received mixed reactions. Prominent anchorperson Rauf Klasra revealed: “I spoke with some senior PML-N leaders and they are shocked to watch Nawaz vilifying the army”.
Read more: Op-ed: Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz are national security threats to Pakistan
In response to the blatant accusations made against the establishment, PM Imran fiercely defended it while addressing Nawaz Sharif, and said: “Tum wapis aao tumhein dekhta hoon (come back we will deal with you)’. Maryam Nawaz, Vice President of PMLN, accused Imran Khan of hiding behind the establishment in PDM’s second rally in Karachi on Sunday.
Face off:@ImranKhanPTI @MaryamNSharif
(Click for details)https://t.co/9eSJH2NMGG #Pakistan #PTI #PMLN pic.twitter.com/2urZ6Urj0i
— Nadeem Malik 🇵🇰 (@nadeemmalik) October 21, 2020
Some analysts are of the view that the rally held by the Opposition should be of concern for the government. Fahd Husain, Dawn’s resident editor in Islamabad, wrote in his latest article [t]he initiative [Opposition’s anti-government campaign] is now with the opposition and the government is on the defensive. He further notes that “[f]or the government, PDM’s first jalsa should be of concern”.
Read more: Op-Ed: How history belies Nawaz Sharif’s ‘progressive’ politics
Fahd argues that “[t]he usual gang of spokespeople may harp on what they have been harping on but the serious members of the government should be looking deep and long at the images of the crowds”.
GVS News desk