Minister says a fake, deliberate misinformation campaign was launched from enemy countries to malign Pakistan
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar addresses a press conference on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar demanded apologies and corrections from international media that published an unconfirmed report linking Pakistan to the shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach. He described the coverage as a “vicious disinformation campaign” against Pakistan.
During a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Tarar presented video clips and timelines to demonstrate how several media organizations circulated claims that one of the attackers was Pakistani, without confirmation.
“A false and deliberate misinformation campaign was launched from enemy countries to malign Pakistan,” he said.
Read: Bondi gunman confirmed to be of Indian origin
After the attack, which claimed 15 lives, several Indian and Israeli media houses identified a person named Naveed Akram as a ‘Pakistani attacker’. The claim was later dismissed when a Pakistani-Australian man of the same name publicly denied any involvement in the incident.
“This is not me and I have no connection whatsoever to that incident or to the person involved,” Akram said, adding that his photos were taken from social media and falsely described as the shooter.
He said the false identification had serious personal consequences. “I’m stressed and scared and can’t even step 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 connection to the incident. He cited a police statement from India that identified one of the attackers as a resident of Telangana, Hyderabad, with an Indian passport issued by the Indian embassy in Sydney. The information minister added that the Philippine authorities had also confirmed that the person traveled to the Philippines on an Indian passport.
“There was not a shred of evidence linking Pakistan to the incident,” Tarar said while praising Australian authorities for waiting for confirmed facts before jumping to conclusions. “Now my question is who will cover the damage caused by Pakistan through these false posts and false information?”
The minister said the disinformation campaign coincided with Pakistan’s commemoration of the APS Peshawar martyrs on December 16, calling the timing “particularly painful”. He reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding stance against terrorism.
“Pakistan has lost more than 90,000 lives to terrorism and has consistently condemned it in all forms and manifestations,” he said.
Also read: Australia rushes emergency gun law reform after Bondi attack
Tarar said Pakistan is not pursuing legal action at this stage but expected apologies in line with journalistic norms. “I think an apology would be nice,” he said. “It is part of journalistic norms to give an apology for incorrect news that is broadcast and disseminated.”
He confirmed that Pakistan’s foreign missions had been provided with verified information and video footage to support expatriate communities affected by the false allegations. “All our embassies have been shared this video and the correct information and are available to our citizens for any assistance,” he said.
The government of Pakistan 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.
