A notification purportedly issued by the Punjab government’s Revenue Department is being widely shared on social media, claiming that four new administrative districts have been created in the province.
The claim is incorrect.
Claim
On August 17, a user on Threads shared an alleged Revenue Department notification dated June 1, 2026, claiming that four new districts had been created: Pattoki, Depalpur, Hasilpur and Haroonabad.
According to the document, the new administrative districts would take effect immediately, increasing Punjab’s total number of districts from 41 to 45.
At the time of writing, the post had received more than 143 likes and 200 reshares.
The document has also circulated on Facebook and Instagram.
Fact
The notification is fake, and no such decision has been made, officials confirmed.
The document bears the name of Zaheer Abbas Malik, identifying him as Punjab’s chief secretary. However, the chief secretary of the province is not Zaheer Abbas Malik.
Zahid Akhtar Zaman has held the position since January 24, 2023.
A spokesperson for Punjab’s Board of Revenue, who asked not to be named, also told Geo Fact Check by phone that the document was fabricated.
“No new district has been created, and neither the Government of Punjab nor the Board of Revenue has issued any such notification,” he said.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari also dismissed the document as fake.
Geo Fact Check could not find the notification on the Board of Revenue’s website.
Verdict: The purported notification is fake and fabricated. The Punjab government has not created four new districts, namely Pattoki, Depalpur, Hasilpur and Haroonabad.
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2026-08-20 16:43:00
