Rachel_Sandford
News Hound
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Messages
- 198
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
When BBC released a two-part documentary questioning the integrity of Pakistan in relation to their commitment for fighting Taliban militancy, the Pakistani cable companies didn’t warm to the broadcast too well.
Malik Furqan Riaz, the president of the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan, was infuriated at BBC for releasing the feature entitled “Secret Pakistan," and said it was filled with anti-Pakistan content.
The documentary implicated that there were certain individuals within Pakistan playing “both sides of the game” – while acting as an ally of America in front of the public, they were secretly training plus arming the Taliban, behind their backs.
"BBC World will be totally blocked across the country on Wednesday, unless the channel tenders an apology for showing anti-Pakistan documentary," said Riaz.
Riaz then turned the heat up on the other Western broadcasters by giving out another statement to the AFP: “We want to warn Western and international news channels to stop negative propaganda against Pakistan and Pakistani armed forces otherwise we will block their broadcasts,"
The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association made an announcement stating that all extraneous channels that broadcast negative propaganda about Pakistan will also be barred from broadcasting within the country.
The ban is currently taking effect in the majority of Pakistani cities, and will most likely extend to all other places, including the rural areas, by Wednesday.
In response to the situation, a BBC spokesman said, "We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service. We would urge that BBC World News and other international news services are reinstated as soon as possible."
Malik Furqan Riaz, the president of the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan, was infuriated at BBC for releasing the feature entitled “Secret Pakistan," and said it was filled with anti-Pakistan content.
The documentary implicated that there were certain individuals within Pakistan playing “both sides of the game” – while acting as an ally of America in front of the public, they were secretly training plus arming the Taliban, behind their backs.
"BBC World will be totally blocked across the country on Wednesday, unless the channel tenders an apology for showing anti-Pakistan documentary," said Riaz.
Riaz then turned the heat up on the other Western broadcasters by giving out another statement to the AFP: “We want to warn Western and international news channels to stop negative propaganda against Pakistan and Pakistani armed forces otherwise we will block their broadcasts,"
The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association made an announcement stating that all extraneous channels that broadcast negative propaganda about Pakistan will also be barred from broadcasting within the country.
The ban is currently taking effect in the majority of Pakistani cities, and will most likely extend to all other places, including the rural areas, by Wednesday.
In response to the situation, a BBC spokesman said, "We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service. We would urge that BBC World News and other international news services are reinstated as soon as possible."