A screenshot of former cricketer Shahid Afridi. —SCREEN CAPTURE
Several users, most of whom appear to be PTI supporters, have been sharing a video on various social media platforms since Thursday, claiming that it shows former cricketer Shahid Afridi urging unconditional support for the government following the recent rise in fuel prices. However, the video predates the price increase and is part of a government austerity campaign.
A day ago, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced the government’s decision to increase petrol prices to Rs 458.4 per liter and high-speed diesel to Rs 520.35 per litre. The increase was announced at a press conference held by Oil Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
Soon after the announcement, the Ministry of Power also notified the new prices: the price of petrol increased by Rs 137.24 per liter and that of diesel by Rs 184.49 per litre.
On Thursday, a user, who appears to be a PTI supporter based on his previous posts, shared a video of Afridi on
The publication obtained 182,000 views.
The video transcript reads: “Peace be upon you, friends. I am Shahid Afridi. Due to war, the global energy crisis is in front of us. Pakistan is still, Alhamdulillah, much better than many other countries. Supporting the government is the most important thing. Being Pakistanis, we should try to follow the steps taken by the government so that there are no obstacles in the development of this country.”
Journalist Tariq Mateen shared the same video in the same context with the following caption: “A person without shame.”
The publication obtained 180,000 views.
YouTuber and former host Imran Riaz Khan also shared the thumbs-up video, garnering 57,000 views.
PTI politician and former vice president of the National Assembly, Qasim Khan Surishared the video in a similar context on Instagram with the caption: “This shameless guy is not even ashamed of lying!”
Indian media India today He also shared the same statement in a news article today, titled: “As fuel prices soar, Shahid Afridi urges Pakistanis to support government, calls for calm.”
An Indian propaganda account, based on his previous posts, also shared the same video in a similar context on X with the following caption: “Afridi is supporting high gas price.”
The publication obtained 19,000 views.
The same video in a similar context was shared by several users who appeared to be PTI supporters on Facebook, instagram, YouTube and X, as you can see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here; collectively earning over 300,000 views.
Methodology
A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and widespread public concern over the drastic price increase.
A reverse image search was conducted, which returned post X dated April 1, 2026, in which a user who appears to be a PML-N supporter shared the same video.
“Pakistani sportsmen are raising great awareness about responsible fuel use as an effective way to guide the public through difficult times. After massive subsidies, conservation is now everyone’s responsibility. Congratulations to Attaullah Tarar,” the caption reads.
As you can see, the video is before the announcement of the fuel price increase.
The video concludes with an official logo of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting promoting fuel conservation as a national responsibility.
It is worth noting that in March Pakistan began a national austerity campaign to manage a serious energy crisis and reduce fuel consumption. Key measures, championed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, include a 50% to 70% reduction in the use of government vehicles, a four-day work week with 50% to 80% of staff working from home, and restrictions on official events and foreign travel.
A keyword search turned up the same video shared on the social media page. Discover Pakistan on Facebook with the following caption: “Tensions rise in Middle East: Pakistan launches fuel conservation campaign; Shahid Afridi urges public support.”
The hashtag “Pakistan campaign” is also mentioned in the title.
The express PAkGazettethe lifestyle magazine, PAkGazette Editshared a collage of screenshots of videos that included Afridi’s viral video on April 2, 2026.
The title of the post reads: “Amid rising national tension caused by rising oil prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, several prominent Pakistani celebrities have stepped forward to promote fuel conservation through televised messages.”
More similar videos from other Pakistani celebrities including Punjabi folk singer. Arif Loharactress Bushra Ansarisinger Waris Baig and several others in the same frame, ending with the same official graphic of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of Pakistan, for the austerity campaign, were shared by Instagram accounts.
A similar post for austerity campaign It was also shared by the PML-N’s official Facebook account, thus proving that Afridi’s viral video was part of an austerity campaign by the government amid a fuel crisis caused by rising oil prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The investigation also revealed a publication on Afridi’s official X account today in which he himself addressed the matter.
“Some malicious elements are trying to give a false impression by spreading my old video in which I defended the increase in oil prices.
“The fact is that this video was made before the recent increase. It was simply an awareness video on energy conservation and reducing usage, which was prepared at the request of the Ministry of Information, Atta Tarar. The recent price increase will break the back of the already crushed public, who cannot defend themselves,” he said.
“For friends with low intellect and little knowledge: explanation: twisting this message for nefarious political purposes and trying to deceive the public in this way is shameful,” Afridi added.
» رہا ہوں۔
حقیقت حالیہ اضافے سے پہلے بنائی گئی تھی۔ یہ صرف توانائو تھی، جو وزارتِ اطلاعات…– Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 3, 2026
Fact Check Status: Misleading
Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Shahid Afridi urging unconditional support for the government in the wake of rising fuel prices is misleading. The video predates the recent rise in fuel prices and the message is part of an austerity campaign with other celebrities promoting fuel-saving measures.
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This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan, a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.
