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Viral Clip Misidentifies Lebanon’s Former President Michel Aoun as Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
Social media platforms are circulating an old video clip showing Lebanon’s former President Michel Aoun tripping at an international summit. These posts falsely identify him as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The footage, dating back to March 2017, has resurfaced amid misleading claims.
False Claims on Social Media Platforms
A Facebook post in Urdu, dated March 27, incorrectly asserts, “Shehbaz Sharif felt dizzy during the meeting.”
The post features a video excerpt of a man falling forward in front of a group of officials, some of whom immediately assist him.
Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post, captured on April 18.
Critics of Prime Minister Sharif have also propagated this video on TikTok and Instagram, falsely alleging he was the individual who fell. However, no credible reports corroborate any recent incident of this nature.
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Video Origin Traced to 2017 Arab League Summit
A reverse image search on Google, utilizing keyframes from the clip, revealed its origin. The footage is extracted from a longer video published by Middle East Eye on Facebook on March 29, 2017 (archived link).
The original post’s caption clearly states: “Lebanese President Michel Aoun takes a tumble at the Arab League Summit today.”
Comparison screenshot: False Facebook post (Left) and original Middle East Eye video (Right).
Reputable news organizations, including Turkey’s Anadolu Agency and Britain’s Daily Mail, also reported on Michel Aoun’s fall at the 22nd Arab League Summit in Jordan in March 2017 (archived references available).
Fact-Check: Misinformation Debunked
It is crucial to note that Pakistan is not a member state of the Arab League. Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif was not serving as Prime Minister of Pakistan in March 2017. He assumed office first in April 2022 and was re-elected following the February 2024 general elections (archived sources provided).
AFP has previously addressed and debunked misinformation concerning Shehbaz Sharif in separate fact-checking articles (links available).