Scientists dead in Karachi bomb blast? Tweet by parody account goes viral

by Jignesh Patel

“#NewsFlash #Karachi Blast during bomb test in a Mosque, 15 scientists dead, 10 seriously injured.”, reads the caption attached to an image tweeted by @INA_Pakistan. It claimed that 15 scientists have died in a bomb blast in Karachi, Pakistan. The tweet has got massive engagement on Twitter with close to 1,900 retweets.

A Facebook page, The Fearless Indian, also posted a screenshot of this tweet. The page is run by Devang Dave, social media convener of BJP Yuva Morcha.

Parody account

@INA_Pakistan is a parody Twitter account masquerading as the Pakistani equivalent of news agency ANI. As evident, the bio says,“#Parody #Satire #NotANI”. The profile picture of the account is an inverted logo of ANI.

Old image

Upon reverse searching the image on Google, Alt News found that the photograph pertains to a 2004 bomb explosion at a Shiite Muslim mosque located in Karachi, Pakistan. “Pakistani worshippers and police officers walk through the wreckage inside a Shiite Muslim mosque after a a bomb ripped through during holy Friday prayers in the volatile port city of Karachi 07 May, 2004. At least five worshippers were killed and several others injured when a bomb ripped through a packed mosque in the Pakistani city of Karachi during Friday Muslim prayers”, said the caption attested with the same photo posted on Getty Images.

In conclusion, a tweet about a bomb blast in Pakistan by a parody Twitter handle got widely circulated with several individuals falling prey to it.

About the Author

Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University.