Deepfake video targets Pakistani female politician Azma Bukhari
A sexualised deepfake video of Pakistani politician Azma Bukhari was created and spread on social media, reportedly causing her psychological distress. She filed a case at Lahore High Court against those responsible for spreading the synthetic media, which has become an increasingly common tool to target female leaders in Pakistan.
What happened
A sexualised deepfake video of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari was created and spread on social media, with her face superimposed on the body of an Indian actor.
Bukhari reports experiencing depression after discovering the video and later filed a case at Lahore High Court against those who spread it.
Reported impact
Bukhari said she was "shattered" when she became aware of the deepfake and went quiet for days, experiencing depression.
She stated that reminding people the video is fake has been necessary during her court proceedings.
Index analysis
The deepfake targeted a female political leader in a country where women's status is tied to notions of "honour" defined as modesty and chastity, making such synthetic media particularly damaging to women's reputations.
Pakistan has seen rapid internet expansion, with 110 million people online as of January 2024, creating conditions for deepfake spread in a country with poor media literacy.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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