Fact check: No, a US-based publication did not ridicule Pakistan’s judiciary

ISLAMABAD: With the PTI building a narrative that a United States-backed "regime change" conspiracy led to the ouster of Imran Khan's government, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari went a step forward to forward the propaganda.

"Imagine! What an insult to Pakistan brought upon by US regime change conspiracy! Surely dark shadows getting a greater crimson blush!" the former federal minister — who has a PhD — shared on Twitter, with a doctored image of the New York Herald.

The image, according to Mazari's tweet, was from the New York Herald and showed that Pakistan's judiciary was happy on receiving orders from the United States.

The cartoon was real but doctored and was not published in the New York Herald.

Firstly, yes, the New York Herald was indeed a daily American newspaper, but it had shut down in 1924 — and was started in 1835. Meaning, that the newspaper ceased to exist almost 25 years before Pakistan's creation.

Secondly, the context. The cartoon was based on Julian Assange.

MintPress News shared the cartoon on its Twitter handle and said: "With Julian Assange on the verge of extradition to spend the rest of his life in a US prison, and the judge claiming he is 'duty bound' some are questioning the United Kingdom's independence and sovereignty."

Later, after being called out on Twitter for her mistake for sharing fake news, the former human rights minister deleted the tweet, but is yet to issue a clarification in this regard.