According to a detailed fact-check released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the claims circulated by Afghan Taliban authorities and certain Indian and regional media outlets that a Pakistan Air Force jet was shot down in Nangarhar and its pilot captured alive are not based on facts. The report stated that these claims have not been verified by any independent, credible, or international source, and an examination of the available material indicates the narrative is highly dubious.
What was claimed?
A statement issued by Afghanistan’s so-called Ministry of Defense alleged that Afghan forces had destroyed a Pakistani jet in Nangarhar and taken its pilot into custody. This claim was immediately amplified by some Indian media outlets and Afghan social media accounts, including mainstream platforms. However, no confirmation of any aircraft loss has emerged from the Pakistan Armed Forces, nor has any international defense monitoring agency, satellite tracking platform, or global news organization verified the incident.
In modern times, the downing of a military jet is typically quickly confirmed through satellite imagery, wreckage videos, and independent reporting, but no such evidence exists in this case.
The truth behind the viral video
Analysis of the circulated images and videos revealed that many of them originate from old and unrelated events. One video showed an Afghan civilian with a sports parachute, which some parties claimed depicted the Pakistani pilot; however, the identification and context contradict this claim. Similarly, an image circulated by certain Afghan media outlets as wreckage of a Pakistani jet actually depicts a Russian-made Be-200 fighter that crashed in southern Turkey in 2021, and images were published by international media including CNN. Using this old image to support the current claim has been deemed misleading.
Furthermore, other images were traced back to a Pakistani aviation accident in 2012, showing personnel from Rescue 1122. Presenting these images as evidence of the recent event also contradicts the facts. According to the fact-check report, numerous misleading videos and posts emerged in the context of recent border tensions, which were later proven false. This claim appears to be part of the same pattern of using unrelated visual material to create a sensational but unverified narrative.
The facts
The report confirms that there is no credible evidence of any Pakistani jet being downed in Nangarhar or any pilot being captured. No verified wreckage images, geographic evidence, or independent sources corroborate the claim.
Authorities have urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information circulating on social media and to rely only on authentic and credible sources during sensitive situations.
