The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Fact Check account on Monday rejected reports claiming that a Pakistan Army officer died during the Pakistan–Sri Lanka cricket match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The ministry said the deceased was an employee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), not a soldier.
A social media post had said a Pakistan Army member died of a heart attack while the match was underway at the stadium. The post, citing rescue sources, named the man as 50-year-old Muhammad Farooq, son of Muhammad Azam, and said he suddenly lost consciousness during the game, was taken to hospital and later died there.
Ministry says the man was not at the stadium
The ministry refuted the claim in a statement shared on X. It said the deceased was a PCB employee who was not present at the stadium during the match, and that he had no involvement in the event.
According to the ministry, the man suffered an electric shock. His family then contacted Rescue 1122, and he was taken to a local hospital, the statement said.
Hospital records cite electrocution as cause of death
The ministry said hospital records identified the cause of death as electrocution. It added that any further inquiry would proceed in line with the prescribed procedure.
“Linking this medical emergency to the cricket match is misleading,” the statement said. It added that the man’s employment with the PCB did not establish any connection between the incident and the ongoing match.
Public urged to verify claims before sharing
The ministry urged members of the public to verify information before sharing claims on social media. It also posted a report about the incident from New Town Police Station.
The fact-check post was published under the headline of the ministry’s Fact Check account and laid out the claim alongside the official findings, ending with a call for users to check facts before passing on misleading claims.
