Minister says deliberate false disinformation campaign was launched from hostile countries to malign Pakistan
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar addresses a press conference on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has demanded an apology and rectification from international media outlets that published an unverified report linking Pakistan to the shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach. He described the media coverage as a “vicious disinformation campaign” against Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Tarar presented video clips and timelines to demonstrate how several media outlets circulated claims that one of the attackers was Pakistani, without verification.
“A false and deliberate disinformation campaign has been launched from hostile countries to malign Pakistan,” he said.
Read: Bondi shooter confirmed to be of Indian origin
Following the attack, which left 15 people dead, several Indian and Israeli media outlets identified an individual named Naveed Akram as a “Pakistani attacker.” This claim was later refuted when a Pakistani-Australian of the same name publicly denied any involvement in the incident.
“It’s not me and I have no connection to this incident or the person involved,” Akram said, adding that his photos were taken from social media and wrongly portrayed as the shooter.
He said the false identification had serious personal consequences. “I’m stressed and scared and I can’t even go outside safely,” he said, describing the compounded trauma of witnessing the tragedy and then being misidentified online.
Tarar said official clarifications later confirmed there was no Pakistani link to the incident. He cited an Indian police statement identifying one of the attackers as a resident of Telangana, Hyderabad, holding an Indian passport issued by the Indian embassy in Sydney. The information minister added that Philippine authorities also verified that the individual had traveled to the Philippines on an Indian passport.
“There was not a single piece of evidence linking Pakistan to the incident,” Tarar said, while praising Australian authorities for waiting for verified facts before drawing conclusions. “Now my question is: who will cover the damage caused to Pakistan by these false messages and false information?
The minister said the disinformation campaign coincided with Pakistan’s commemoration of the APS Peshawar martyrs on December 16, calling the moment “particularly painful.” He reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing stance against terrorism.
“Pakistan has lost more than 90,000 lives to terrorism and has consistently condemned it in all its forms and manifestations,” he said.
Read also: Australia to rush through emergency gun law reforms after Bondi attack
Tarar said Pakistan was not taking legal action at this stage but was expecting an apology in line with journalistic standards. “I think an apology would be welcome,” he said. “It is part of journalistic standards to apologize for incorrect information published and broadcast. »
He confirmed that Pakistan’s foreign missions had been provided with verified information and video materials to support the expatriate communities affected by these false allegations. “All our embassies have shared this video and the correct information, and they are available to our citizens for any assistance,” he said.
The Pakistani government condemned the Bondi Beach attack immediately after the incident and expressed solidarity with the Australian government and people. Tarar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari had issued strong condemnations from the start.
