(Daily Point) — A false rumor circulating online suggests that the European Union (EU) has threatened sanctions against the Pakistan Army following alleged rigging in the February 8 polls.

However, this claim has been debunked as stemming from a manipulated version of an EU press release concerning Pakistan’s general elections.

The fabricated statement falsely asserts that the EU would consider sanctions against several army generals, including the chief of army staff, and officials from political parties such as the PML-N and MQM if genuine election results are not promptly announced.

Contrary to this misinformation, the official EU statement titled “Pakistan: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the general elections,” issued on February 9, does not contain any such threats.

The genuine EU press release acknowledges the increased participation of women in the voting process but expresses regret over the perceived lack of a level playing field for some political actors. It calls for a timely and thorough investigation into reported irregularities in the polling process.

The manipulated version of the EU statement has circulated widely on social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp groups. However, the EU has promptly addressed the misinformation by reposting the correct statement on its official X account and cautioning the public to be aware of the fake version.

The EU reaffirms its commitment to Pakistan as an important partner and expresses a desire to continue working together on shared priorities outlined in the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan. The authentic EU statement encourages Pakistan to pursue reforms in areas such as human rights, good governance, labor rights, and environmental standards, based on the GSP+ report of November 2023. Notably, the official EU statement does not contain any threats of sanctions against the Pakistan Army, as falsely depicted in the manipulated version.