LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari appeared before the Lahore High Court on Tuesday and recorded her statement as the complainant in a case involving a viral fake video allegedly circulated in her name.
The proceedings took an intense turn as Bukhari and the accused, Falak Javed, exchanged heated remarks, while the court also ordered the production of Javed during the hearing.
Taking the oath, Bukhari told the court that the case was not an ordinary dispute but concerned “a matter of a woman’s honor.” She said she came across videos on social media during the night of July 24 and 25, 2025, which were being falsely attributed to her.
According to her statement, she checked Javed’s X account after seeing the content and found the video posted there. She claimed that it subsequently spread widely across social media.
“I have been wronged. You cannot even imagine what I have gone through,” Bukhari told the court, maintaining that a fake video had been created and circulated using her identity.
The hearing became tense when accused’s counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq objected to remarks made during the statement. Bukhari responded sharply, asking him to lower his voice. She also had a heated exchange with Javed, who denied possessing evidence against her and said she had spent about a year in jail.
LHC Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan intervened and directed both sides to remain calm, making it clear that courtroom proceedings would be conducted under his authority.
Bukhari also raised concerns over security and said she had initially requested to record her statement through video link. Her counsel argued that the request was made from the beginning and was not intended to delay proceedings.
Meanwhile, Ashfaq sought additional time for cross-examination, saying he would need several hours to question the minister.
The court had earlier ordered jail authorities to produce Javed within 20 minutes. Police also requested journalists not to record videos of Bukhari inside the courtroom due to security concerns.
The case relates to a morphed video circulated on social media in July 2025 with captions falsely suggesting it showed the provincial minister.
With Bukhari’s statement now recorded, the proceedings are expected to move toward cross-examination. The case has attracted significant attention because of its wider implications for online harassment, digital misinformation and the protection of individuals from manipulated content.
