Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting declared a widely circulating social media notification fake on September 17. The fraudulent document claimed government offices would operate only from Monday through Thursday, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday designated as off days. The ministry issued the clarification through its official fact-checking account on X.
A notification circulating on social media claiming changes to the Government of Pakistan's working days is fake.
The public is advised not to believe or share such misleading content and to rely only on official government channels for authentic notifications and announcements. pic.twitter.com/rbtPOK5V9o
— Fact Checker MoIB (@FactCheckerMoIB) September 17, 2026
The fake notification purported to carry the Cabinet Division’s letterhead and bore the date September 16, 2026. The apparent official formatting and government attribution lent false credibility to the claim. However, the ministry confirmed the document has no validity. Government employees and citizens shared the notification extensively on social media platforms, prompting official intervention.
The ministry advised the public not to believe or share the misleading content. Citizens received explicit guidance to rely exclusively on official government channels for authentic notifications and announcements. This clarification became necessary because the notification’s professional appearance generated widespread speculation about potential changes to government working schedules.
The incident reflects ongoing concerns about misinformation spreading rapidly through social media. Official documents circulate as screenshots or shared images without verification. Fraudulent notifications claiming policy changes can create confusion among government employees, the private sector and general public before official channels address them. The ministry’s prompt fact-checking response aimed to prevent further viral spread.
The notification’s claim about three weekly holidays contradicted existing government work schedules. Currently, government offices operate Monday through Friday with Saturday and Sunday designated as regular weekend holidays. Operational changes of this magnitude would require formal policy decisions communicated through official administrative channels, not anonymous social media posts.
This debunking follows earlier misinformation requiring government clarification. Punjab Education Minister Khalid Javed Khan similarly rejected a fabricated 3-day school closure plan circulating on social media during the same period. Coordinated misinformation campaigns using official-looking documentation represent an emerging challenge for Pakistani governance communication.
The ministry’s fact-checking operations have intensified to combat viral falsehoods. Rapid response protocols now enable real-time correction of fraudulent government claims before public confusion escalates. Social media platforms remain vulnerable to forged government documents that spread faster than official clarifications.
