Curb on BBC Urdu Service’s news bulletins is undemocratic

By: Earthman, International Professor

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued instructions to cease broadcasting of BBC Urdu Service’s News Bulletins to 24 FM stations in Pakistan. Peoples Party’s government has no attitude to face any kind of criticism and within last two years it has broken records of any dictatorial rule by shutting down websites, pulling web pages, harassment to journalists and Zardari’s personal campaign against “Pen” is also no secret.

BBC has a history and our entire life has passed around listening BBC news bulletins, whether we may like it or not but circumstances always force us to have a second look on BBC reporting, and it is also a fact that we have no choice to trust BBC’s reporting on first hand at hundreds of occasions.

I don’t feel shame to admit that I worked at many places around the world and before emerge of Television transmissions; BBC was the only source of our link to Pakistan living abroad. While purchasing a radio major criteria of testing was availability of transmissions of BBC and Azad Kashmir Radio, Tarar Khal, either both are working properly or not, so once purchased very expensive Grundeg radio was an old sign of past interest in BBC and when I put it on garbage being out dated, and requires wide aerials on the roof to catch transmissions made me emotional of past friendship with that set.

History of BBC everybody knows and if British Government spends lot of money to support this organization shows its objective. So everyone listening BBC reports must keep in mind that it has nationalistic approach. If we may turn on Radio Moscow, Voice of America, German Urdu Service or any other foreign media channels, we must know that each has its own nationalistic approach. But BBC has individuality that it has established roots in South Asian societies and very well aware of local culture, rituals and temperament of the peoples, so some of its reports touches heart of ordinary peoples. It is foolishness to guess that it would ever act against British political policies.

This is the beauty of free speech, free press and independence of journalism that by knowing limitations of each media resources, their management policies and nationalistic approach still we are able to watch some reports submitted by true journalists independently. Also we can pick some messages hidden under deceptive reports in our opinion; grey hair editors have same mentality everywhere to implement policies of their owners.

Every Pakistani ruler at a certain stage started to treat BBC as its foe, however current policies of BBC are witness that it is fighting Bush-Blair’s war on terror devotedly, and that is matching with current policies of Pakistani army generals and Peoples Party. Not a single report of BBC ever hindered their greed of dollars; neither had it ever pointed out how army generals are making fool to Western countries. When Pakistan Government named 15 million Pushtoon as Mujahideen and later labelled them terrorists, BBC never interfered; neither had it ever challenged the claims of Pakistan Government. In 99% reports and news analysis no porn or vulgarity have we seen, and it cares general values of Pakistani culture and traditions. The Pakistani’s working with BBC is more sectarian and politically divided then its general reporters. We can complaint against BBC on issue to issue basis and that we do regularly. Improvement in Programs does not mean change of policies.

However it is surprising that Peoples Party is putting restrictions on a source of information that never reported any extra ordinary or parallel reporting against current interests (making money) of army generals or Peoples Party. BBC’s policies in support of War of terror are a “free support” to enhance an opportunity to dollar hungry elite to keep sucking without any fear”. It is out of question to think that BBC would bring hidden barbaric truth of war on terror to public. All around the globe public opinion says that American administration is under influence of Brit politicians, and whole pomp and show of British Government is entirely dependent on gluing with Americans to keep its lost imperialistic status alive.    

However curb on BBC’s news is a cruelty and against freedom of journalism and press, moreover it is anti-democratic approach without any justification. We strongly condemn uncivilised behaviour of PPP’s government and request that more information, different point of views and criticism made a nation stronger and as such blockage of BBC’s news is unjustified. Pakistan Government has resources to reply any misguided approach if any, so quarrelling with media groups, journalists, websites and bloggers is not a status of a government. Only those governments remain under fear of pen and intellect which keeps loop holes.

It is in the interest of Pakistan Government to lift ban from BBC’s news broadcast immediately. Anybody may like it or not but BBC have millions of listeners and viewers around the globe and Urdu service is an exclusive service for Pakistani’s living around the world.

If we don’t like faith, policies or doctrines of others it does not mean we may eradicate them from the scene, it is against civilised culture to shut others mouth. Nobody likes U.S. policies based on elimination, pre-emptive and self fabricated security concern theories. Even closest friends of U.S. remain under fear of its evilness. Our struggle against dictatorship, independence of judiciary and free press is for the sake of respect to humanity and human values. Even though I hate some of the BBC’s reports but I still listen patiently their point of view since decades.

Pakistan’s authorities must reconsider their decision and if there is any security concern then it must go to courts instead of shutting voice of BBC.