Mufti Taqi Usmani apologises for citing fake video on Israel-India aid claim

ISLAMABAD: Religious scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani on Friday issued a public clarification and apology after acknowledging that he had been misled by a video claiming that Israel and India had reached an agreement to provide aid to Afghanistan, stating that the footage was later found to be fake and that the relevant portion had been removed from his published speech.

In a post shared on his official X account, Usmani said that during his weekly address he had referred to a video alleging cooperation between Israel and India to assist Afghanistan. He stated that it later emerged the video was fabricated.

He expressed regret for having cited the video and sought forgiveness for the mistake. He added that the full text of his speech was being released with the disputed segment removed and further clarification included.

The statement comes amid heightened sensitivity over regional geopolitical developments and the rapid circulation of unverified content on social media platforms. No official response was immediately available from authorities in India, Israel or Afghanistan regarding the claim referenced in the original video.