Claims surfaced on social media on Friday evening that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Javed Latif was beaten by local people when he arrived in his constituency to seek votes in the run-up to the February 8 general elections.

Dozens of X users shared clips showing a mob with batons following Latif who tried to run away from them on a road. Gunshots were also heard.

Latif is then offered a pillion ride on a motorcycle as some of the people try to stop the charging mob. He is then sped away from the scene.

Aaj News fact-check effort confirmed that the video in question was old. It was recorded in November 2017.

Latif was attacked by a mob in Sheikhpura in 2017 when PMLN was still in power and there were violent protests over rumours of amending the country’s blasphemy laws.

Javed was not the only PMLN politician to face a mob. PMLN’s then-law minister Zahid Hamid’s residence in Sialkot was also attacked.

On Friday, the old video was shared by several social media users including a fan page of anchorperson Sabir Shakir.

Shakir recently faced backlash for claiming that PTI leader Bilal Virk was subjected to police brutality as he tried to file nomination papers.

Virk’s wife later clarified that her husband had been wounded in a road accident.