FACT CHECK: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Heckled at a US Airport?

Claim:
A viral video claims Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was heckled at a US airport, where he appeared agitated, and his entourage verbally attacked the heckler.

Verdict:
Misleading. The video dates back to October 2022, when Ishaq Dar was Pakistan’s Finance Minister, not the Foreign Minister.

The Claim:

A video circulating on social media claims Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar faced public heckling at a US airport. The clip shows Dar being called a “thief,” and a member of his entourage responds with foul language. Posts on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram describe the incident as a recent event, with captions mocking the minister.

Fact-Check Analysis:

1. Video Timeline:
   A reverse search of keyframes from the viral video led to a report by Hindustan Times dated October 14, 2022. The report confirms the incident occurred at Washington DC’s Dulles International Airport, where Ishaq Dar, then Pakistan’s Finance Minister, was greeted with chants of “chor” (thief) by overseas Pakistanis.
2. Contextual Evidence:
   A Dawn report from October 13, 2022, corroborated this, noting that Dar had traveled to Washington DC for meetings with global financial institutions, including the IMF.
3. Verification of Current Role:
   According to the official website of Pakistan’s National Assembly, Ishaq Dar currently serves as the Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He held the position of Finance Minister during several periods, most recently from September 2022 to August 2023.
4. FactCheck India Investigation:
   FactCheck India confirms that the video is from October 2022 and has been misrepresented as a recent incident involving Ishaq Dar as Foreign Minister.

Conclusion:

The viral video of Ishaq Dar being heckled at a US airport is from October 2022, during his tenure as Finance Minister. It has been misrepresented as a recent event involving him as Foreign Minister.

Verdict: Misleading