Fact Check: Did Army Chief Bajwa enjoy Ukrainian singer's cover of 'Dil Dil Pakistan'?

Shmarenkova performed the famous 80's song in Ukraine during the army chief's visit to the country last year

KARACHI:

Everyone loves Junaid Jamshed’s iconic patriotic song Dil Dil Pakistan, so it is no surprise that a video of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa enjoying a cover of the song performed by Ukrainian singer, Nataliya Shmarenkova in a special function honouring Pakistan’s Independence went viral on social media.

Sparked by the army chief's recent visit to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, netizens claimed that the performance took place in a function held in the UK by the Pakistan High Commission in London, honouring the 75th Independence anniversary of Pakistan.

COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa attended Independence day celebrations at Pakistan High Commission in London. National song Dil Dil Pakistan was performed by Ukrainian singer Nataliya Shmarenkova. pic.twitter.com/JIL8dhubWa

— Malik Ali Raza (@MalikAliiRaza) August 15, 2022

However, The Express Tribune discovered that not only was the viral video a year old, the event in which Shmarenkova performed the famous 80's song at an event that took place in Ukraine during the army chief's visit to the country last year. The upload date of the original video published by the Pakistan Embassy in Ukraine's YouTube page stated that it was uploaded on August 13, 2021. The event was most likely filmed in May as that was when the army chief visited Ukraine. The video was uploaded to YouTube a month later, ahead of Pakistan's 74th Independence anniversary.

Journalist Murtaza Ali Shah also debunked the misconception that the viral video was filmed at an event in the U

A Twitter page titled 'The Intel Consortium' posted a thread clearing the widespread misonception that the event was held in the UK to mark Pakistan's 75th Independence. The page also claimed that Shmarenkova is also married to a Pakistani philanthropist.

Be advised, this video is from May 2021, when COAS visited Ukraine for upgrades of Pakistani T-80UD tank fleet.
Sitting next to the COAS is Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Noel Khokar. It is part of a charity function. The singer is married to a Pakistani philanthropist. https://t.co/CCANjbiSty

— The Intel Consortium (@INTELPSF) August 15, 2022

 

Upon further research on Nataliya Shmarenkova, The Express Tribune found that Shmarenkova adopted the name Kamaliya Zahoor after she married Ukraine based Pakistani businessman Mohammad Zahoor. She has also performed in several charity events in Pakistan including one held at the prestigious World Performing Arts Festival in Lahore. In 2007 she came to Pakistan and handed medical research facilities to improve medical care for children suffering from heart problems.