New York, November 30, 2011–The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association must immediately unblock the BBC World News television channel in Pakistan, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Operators began censoring the channel Tuesday in response to a documentary they considered “anti-Pakistan,” and threatened to pull other foreign news channels, the BBC said.
“This is a straw in a very chill wind not only for foreign media but for Pakistan’s own burgeoning television news channels,” said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. “Cable operators should not act as political censors. They must restore BBC World News service immediately and remove the threat of similar censorship hanging over other broadcasters. Now more than ever the Pakistani public must have access to a wide variety of independent news coverage.”