Broadcast of 'anti-Pakistan' foreign news channels to be shut: Cable operators

LAHORE: The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association declared Tuesday that they will shut down all foreign news channels airing "anti-Pakistan" content from tomorrow. The decision to shut the channels comes after a media uproar both locally and abroad following a Nato air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops near the Afghan border.

During a media conference in Lahore, the operators named BBC News as one of the channels to be closed down, citing their documentary "Secret Pakistan" as one of the reasons for the decision.

The two part documentary series which aired in Pakistan explored accusations by CIA officials and western diplomats that Pakistan was failing to live up to its alliances in the war on terror.

President of the All Pakistan Cable Operators Association Khalid Arain also demanded that Pemra revoke the landing rights of any foreign news channel that was running "anti-Pakistan propaganda".

"We want to send them a strong message to stop this. If they
don't stop this, then it is our right to stop them," Arain said.

The cable operators declared that no foreign anti-Pakistan channel will "ever" be broadcast in the country.

They called on local media to tackle the ongoing negative propaganda by foreign news channels by presenting Pakistan's viewpoint.