AN online coverage of the Kurram crisis by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), titled, ‘More than 40 dead after gunmen attack passenger vehicles in Pakistan’ (Nov 22) has changed my mind about the trust I used to have in the BBC with respect to professional integrity.

The report was related to the tragic incident that caused the death of over 40 people on Nov 21 in the Kurram area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The incident should be condemned and we should share the grief of the affected families. However, the BBC story was clearly aimed at sprea-ding mass fear globally that would have hurt Pakistan’s image in the world.

The report, among other things, said that “a convoy of 200 passenger vehicles” had been attacked. There were no photographs with the report to support the claim. The fact of the matter is that 200 vehicles have never been witnessed in a row on the said road. Never. The BBC’s top management should take note of such biased coverage.

Khalid Mustafa
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025