WHAT WAS CLAIMED
The Bondi Beach gunmen were from Pakistan.
OUR VERDICT
False. One of the gunmen was born in India, while the other was born in Australia.
AAP FACTCHECK - The Bondi Beach gunmen are neither from Pakistan nor Afghanistan, despite claims across social media.
The Australian government has confirmed one of the gunmen was born in Australia and Indian police have said the other was originally from Hyderabad.
Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah event at a beachside park, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens, on December 14, 2025.
Sajid was shot dead by police, while Naveed remains under police guard in hospital, where he has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder.
Following the attack, claims the gunmen had links to Pakistan circulated widely on social media.
"BREAKING: One of the terrorists involved in the horrific attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, has been identified as Naveed Akram from Pakistan," a December 14 Facebook post claims.
Another post states: "Sajid Akram, 50, arrived from Lahore, Pakistan, in 1998 on a student visa, chasing education and opportunity in Australia, according to reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald and statements from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke."
Other posts, shared by users based in Pakistan, have instead claimed the shooters were from Afghanistan.
"Bondi Attacker Identified as Afghan National Amid False Pakistan Links," one post claims.
"The attacker has been identified as Naveed Akram (32) … of Afghan origin," another post reads, also incorrectly stating his age.
On December 15, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the father moved to Australia more than two decades ago, but did not say what country he moved from or what his nationality was.
He also confirmed Naveed Akram is an Australian-born citizen.
Indian police have since said the 50-year-old was an Indian citizen, originally from the city of Hyderabad, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
A Reuters journalist also spoke to relatives of Sajid Akram in the Indian city this week.
Filipino broadcaster ABS-CBN has also published the passport details of the gunmen after it was reported they travelled to the country's southern island of Mindanao in November 2025.
Sajid Akram's passport lists his place of birth as Hyderabad, Telangana, while his son has an Australian passport which states he was born in Camperdown, Sydney.
AAP FactCheck previously debunked a video generated using artificial intelligence, claiming to show Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cancelling visas for Pakistani nationals following the terrorist attack.
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