A video circulating on social media claims that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a blanket ban on visas for Pakistanis following the deadly Bondi Beach shooting. The claim is false.

 

The six-second video appears to show Albanese saying, "Pakistani-origin terrorist Naveed Akram has been arrested in today's terrorist attack. Australia is suspending all visa services for Pakistanis effective immediately."

 

ऑस्ट्रेलिया के प्रधानमंत्री ने पाकिस्तानी इस्लामिक आतंकवादी द्वारा हमले के बाद सभी पाकिस्तानियों का वीज़ा रद्द करने का फ़ैसला लिया है। पूरी दुनिया इस कौम से परेशान है, और भारत में कहा जाता है कि अब्दुल हिंदुओं के मोहल्ले में घर क्यों नहीं ख़रीद सकता।#Australia pic.twitter.com/wdtuCiVCdk

— Durgesh Sinh Rajput (@Rajput_of_Raj_) December 15, 2025

 

Social media users shared the video widely after Albanese promised a sweeping crackdown to eliminate antisemitism following the December 14 shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach, where gunmen killed 15 people at a beachside Jewish festival.

 

Authorities have identified the suspects as father and son, 50-year-old Sajid Akram and 24-year-old Naveed Akram. Police killed Sajid in a shootout, while Naveed survived and remains in custody.

 

At a press conference on December 15, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the son is an Australian citizen, while the father had entered the country on a student visa in 1998 and later secured a partner visa.

 

The prime minister announced several measures, including giving the home affairs minister new powers to cancel or reject visas for those who spread hate and division. However, he never announced a visa ban for Pakistanis.

 

A spokesperson for Australia's Department of Home Affairs confirmed on December 19, "There have not been any changes on visa services or applications for those applying for a visa from Pakistan."

 

According to media reports, Indian authorities have identified Sajid as an Indian citizen. Police in India's southern state of Telangana said Sajid originally hailed from Hyderabad and migrated to Australia seeking employment in November 1998, approximately 27 years ago.

 

Analysis of the circulating video reveals clear signs of AI manipulation. Albanese's lip movements do not match his speech, which sounds stilted and bears no resemblance to his actual speaking voice.

 

A reverse image search using keyframes from the video found the images match reports from The Age and The Guardian from August 4, 2022, showing Albanese at a press conference about his Labor Party's climate bill passing the lower house.