Fact Check: UAE asks Pakistan to act against social media campaign targeting CM Maryam and Emirati President?

An official letter from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy, circulated on social media, claiming that the Pakistani government has been urged to take action against the "malicious" and "derogatory" content being shared online regarding Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz’s handshake with Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The controversy began when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially welcomed the UAE President on Sunday in Rahim Yar Khan, with CM Maryam Nawaz also present to greet the distinguished guest.

During the meeting, CM Maryam warmly greeted Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with a handshake, which quickly went viral on social media, attracting widespread criticism from PTI supporters.

Dated January 5, 2025, the UAE Emabssy's letter mentions an X handle (@jokkeerrr2) accused of sharing a "manipulated" image of "His Highness greeting the Honorable Chief Minister of Punjab, Ms Maryam Nawaz."

The letter criticised the online content, describing it as an attempt to spread "false and defamatory narratives" aimed at damaging the reputation of both personalities.

Furthermore, it alleged that an investigation linked the false propaganda to an account associated with PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. The letter also included Salman Akram Raja’s personal details, such as his CNIC number and his father’s name.

The UAE embassy is said to have requested Pakistan’s Ministry of External Affairs to mobilise the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and its Cybercrime Wing to investigate and take action against those responsible for the social media campaign.

The letter stressed that such measures were vital to preserving the strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE.

Upon verification, several inconsistencies cast doubt on the authenticity of the letter.

Repetition of reference number:

The letter bears the reference/dispatch number "7/8/6-1334," which is identical to another UAE embassy letter issued on July 14, 2021. Official correspondence typically assigns a unique reference number to each new letter, indicating that the recent letter may have been forged by reusing an old one.

Manipulated content

The content of the alleged letter appears to have been altered. The original letter from 2021 had informed the Pakistani government about the importance of carrying NADRA-issued COVID-19 vaccination certificates for travelers visiting the UAE.

 UAE Embassy has not commented on the controversy

No statement regarding the social media campaign against CM Maryam or the Emirati President has been shared on the UAE embassy's official X account. Instead, the account recently posted images of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Rahim Yar Khan, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The letter in circulation is fake, as it was manipulated from an older communication issued by the UAE embassy.