Since morning, I have been reading Facebook statuses like “RIP Mehdi Hassan” and “Mehdi Hassan Sahab you will always be missed” etc.
When I woke up today and checked my FB stream, these were a few related statuses that came on the top stories of my Facebook news feed. One can imagine, how one would feel after receiving this shocking/drastic news at the early phase of the day.
Being a web publisher, I searched Google News to get the confirmation of the news from any authentic and reliable source. As doubted, no mainstream media had covered the news lately and the only source which made the headline “Legendary Mehdi Hassan passes away” was the web portal RadioandMusic.Com. We are not sure who first spread this false rumor, but a couple of publications that first published this story online, has already taken it off now, which again confirms that no such thing occurred.
Mehdi Hassan Sahab, who is reportedly hospitalized again, is being treated in Agha Khan Hospital in Karachi. His condition is critical but there is still some hope, according to the latest media reports.
Social Media Activists kill Mehdi Hasan Sahab !
The rumor reported on a few online publications could have died earlier, if some social media activists could try to confirm the news before posting their damaging tweets. Twitter activists continued to tweet about Mehdi Hassan death, even without confirming it from an authentic source. Here are a few tweets that spread this false rumor further more.
HumaImtiaz (9074 followers): RIP Mehdi Hasan sahib.
NaheedMustafa (5236 followers): Mehdi Hasan died 🙁 I know what I’ll be listening to tonight. Yar, end of an era.
MujMash RIP Mehdi Hasan. Quite a sad year for Ghazal.
AamnaTaseer(8740 followers) inallila hi wa inaaillahi rajeowm RIP Mehdi Hasan
beenasarwar I was sad when a friend told me Mehdi Hasan had died. Also felt relief for him, that he’s at peace, out of his pain, couldn’t speak, move.
We pray for the fast recovery of our great legend Mehdi Hassan Sahab and request everyone to not to spread any false rumors until you get the news from an authentic and most reliable source.
