By The South Asia Times

Sydney / Islamabad – Several people were killed and others injured after a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, prompting widespread condemnation and a full-scale investigation by Australian authorities.

As law enforcement works to establish the facts, a wave of disinformation and speculative reporting has emerged online, prematurely linking the incident to Pakistan.

Within hours of the attack, some Israeli and Indian media outlets,including The Jerusalem Post along with affiliated social media accounts, linking with Indian spy agency RAW,  began circulating claims alleging Pakistani involvement. The Jerusalem Post, for example, referred to the attackers as “Pakistani” without citing verified sources or awaiting conclusions from Australian investigators.

Following these reports, India-based social media networks, including accounts previously identified by independent analysts as involved in coordinated influence operations, amplified the narrative, suggesting Pakistani state or individual involvement.

Analysts note that this pattern mirrors past incidents, such as the controversial “Pahalgam episode,” where Pakistan was blamed before official investigations concluded.

Contrary to circulating claims, Australian authorities have not confirmed any Pakistani link to the attackers.

According to Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, one of the individuals identified in reports, Sajid Akram, arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, later converted into a partner visa in 2001 after his marriage to an Australian citizen.

Minister Burke confirmed that Akram had been a licensed member of an Australian gun club for roughly ten years, and that six legally registered firearms were recovered during the investigation.

Authorities have not described Akram as a Pakistani national and have issued no official statement linking the attack to Pakistan.

Pakistani diplomatic sources in Australia have stated that there is no evidence confirming that the individuals named in online claims are Pakistani nationals. Members of the Pakistani community in Australia have also not confirmed any familial or community ties to the suspects.

Officials also dismissed claims circulated by Indian media suggesting that Sajid Akram entered Australia on a tourist visa, noting that these reports contradict Australian immigration records.

- False Social Media Narratives

Multiple social media accounts—including some linked to Indian and overseas political networks—have promoted claims about another alleged Pakistani individual, Naveed Akram. These claims were publicly rejected by the individual himself, exposing the allegations as false.

Unverified reports suggest that Sajid Akram’s family origins may trace back to Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, though Australian authorities have not confirmed this. Security analysts warn that terrorist networks operating from Afghan territory with Indian support pose ongoing regional and global challenges, a concern repeatedly highlighted at international security forums.

This is not the first instance of Indian media spreading propaganda against Pakistan. In May of this year, during a brief conflict between Pakistan and India, several New Delhi-based media outlets circulated fake reports against Pakistan. These reports were widely condemned by international media and analysts, who labeled the coverage as misleading and referred to it as “Fake Indian Media.”

Meanwhile  a man named Naveed Akram, whose photo was mistakenly linked to the Sydney shooting, spoke out on Monday to condemn the misinformation.

In a video released by the Pakistan Consulate in Sydney and later covered by Australia’s SBS News, Akram clarified that he arrived in Australia in 2018, runs his own business, and has no connection to the attack.

“That is not me, and I have nothing to do with that incident or that person,” he said, urging people to stop spreading the false claims. He added that the misinformation was being circulated largely through accounts linked to India and called on the public to report any instances of his photos being misused.

Akram described the situation as “life-threatening” and said it had caused him significant stress and fear.