DIG Operations Faisal Kamran confirms that the police have arrested Farhan Asif from the Defense area of Lahore
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 20th, 2024) A suspect behind the fake news that caused violent riots in the United Kingdom was arrested in Lahore on Tuesday.
Asif, who reportedly works for a news platform in Pakistan, has been handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further investigation.
Asif is accused of publishing fake news regarding the identity of a suspect involved in a stabbing incident in the UK, where three girls were killed at a dance club in Southport, North West England. Multiple others were injured in the attack.
The fake news, propagated by a website named Channel3Now, falsely claimed that the perpetrator of the attack was a Muslim refugee named Ali Al-Shakaty.
Following the report, far-right groups in England and Northern Ireland erupted into violent protests, leading to widespread unrest.
However, the story was later debunked, and investigations by the British media revealed that the Channel3Now website was being operated out in Lahore by Farhan Asif.
The fake report is believed to have contributed to the escalation of tensions in the UK.
The investigation to determine the full extent of Asif’s involvement in the incident is underway.
DIG Operations Faisal Kamran confirmed that the police arrested Farhan Asif from the Defense area of Lahore.
