Guddu Thermal Power Station is a 640-megawatt gas fired power project. It is located in Sindh, Pakistan. The project is currently active. It has been developed in multiple phases.

A video of a burning power plant claimed as “Guddu Power Plant” was shared with the following context: “This is Guddu Power Plant. This Rs 15 billion power plant was set on fire to benefit Salman Shahbaz’s (Younger son of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif) solar energy business!!”

(Screenshot from Twitter post)

(Screenshot from Twitter post)

Debunked Source

شہباز حکومت میں ایک مرتبہ پھر آگ لگنے کے واقعات شروع ہوگئے,,
گڈو پاور پلانٹ میں آگ لگنے سے قومی خزانے کو ذرائع کے مطابق 15 ارب تک کا نقصان ہوا ہے, pic.twitter.com/5eM8iHnj3y

— Shakir Mehmood Awan (@ShakirAwan88) July 14, 2022

یہ گڈو پاور پلانٹ یے. 15 ارب روپے کے اِس پاور پلانٹ کو آگ لگا دی گئی تاکہ سلمان شہباز کے سولر انرجی کاروبار کو فائدہ پہنچایا جا سکے!! pic.twitter.com/033y4XG7qF

— Dr Fatima K – PTI (@p4pakipower) July 15, 2022

Fact Check

In order to investigate the claim, we extracted key frames of the shared video and performed a reverse image search. 

(Frozen keyframes of the video)

The search revealed that the viral video dates back to 15^th February 2021 from Herat, Afghanistan, amid massive explosions that destroyed over 100 fuel tankers.

(Screenshot from India TV website)

Source

https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/fuel-tanker-explosion-video-afghanistan-iran-border-tanker-blast-video-herat-fuel-truck-explosion-video-684991

Footage of the gas tanker explosion at Iran-Afghanistan customs post. Iran says it has left its gates open for trucks and people escaping from the massive fire. https://t.co/R255zLfCnz pic.twitter.com/kZpwjh8f5E

— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) February 13, 2021

Video of the massive fuel tanker explosion today on the #Iran–#Afghanistan border. pic.twitter.com/1iMo4taaF7

— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) February 13, 2021

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1808601/world

Rating

Disinformation/ Propaganda

Conclusion

Our fact-check confirmed that the viral video dates back to 15^th February, 2021 from Afghanistan. The video was shared in a false context to mislead general public against current ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N). The video was widely shared by the supporters of opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in order to defame the ruling political party by conveying the message that they are damaging national assets to benefit their personal business. 

ABCDE Framework-Based Analysis

Actor	Independent social media accounts on Twitter are involved in disseminating disinformation.
Behavior	Fake news of Guddu power plant set on fire to benefit personal gain of Sharif family is shared.
Content	Social media posts.
Degree	The targeted audience was the general public, the false claim was widely shared on Twitter. No synthetic means were used to make content viral.
Effect	The aim of circulating such news is to mislead the general public. Circulating the disinformation is part of bringing rival parties down and to change public sentiments against the ruling government.