A rumor circulating online claims that the European Union has issued threats of sanctions against the Pakistan Army after alleged rigging in the February 8 polls.
However, the claim is false and stems from a manipulated version of an EU press release regarding Pakistan’s general elections.
The fabricated statement falsely asserts that the EU would consider sanctions on several army generals, including the chief of army staff, and officials from the PML-N, MQM, and other relevant parties if genuine election results are not promptly announced.
However, the official EU statement, titled “Pakistan: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the general elections,” issued on February 9, contains no such threats.
The genuine EU press release acknowledges the increased participation of women in the voting process but expresses regret over the perceived lack of a level playing field for some political actors. It calls for a timely and thorough investigation into reported irregularities in the polling process.
The manipulated version of the EU statement has been widely circulated on social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp groups. The European Union has promptly addressed the misinformation, reposting the correct statement on its official X account and cautioning the public to be aware of the fake version.
The EU reiterates its commitment to Pakistan as an important partner, expressing a desire to continue working together on shared priorities outlined in the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan. The authentic EU statement encourages Pakistan to pursue reforms in areas such as human rights, good governance, labor rights, and environmental standards, based on the GSP+ report of November 2023. The official EU statement does not contain any threats of sanctions against the Pakistan Army, as falsely depicted in the manipulated version.
