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The Central government has formally communicated to the BBC, raising strong objections over its reporting on the Pahalgam terror attack, particularly the use of the term ‘militants’ to describe the attackers.
Officials also took exception to the BBC’s headline that read, ‘Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists’.
In its coverage, the BBC described Pahalgam as ‘Indian-administered Kashmir’ and labelled the brutal terror incident as a ‘militant attack’ carried out by ‘gunmen’, without acknowledging Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India.
The BBC report stated, “Police in Indian-administered Kashmir say all three suspects named are members of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). None of the men have commented on the allegations.”
Several users on social media flagged the BBC’s headline as misleading, suggesting it wrongly implied that ‘India killed the tourists’.
India’s Formal Protest To BBC
According to sources, the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conveyed India’s strong concerns to Jackie Martin, the BBC’s Head in India, regarding the broadcaster’s depiction of the terror attack.
The sources further revealed that the government has sent a formal protest letter objecting to the use of the word ‘militants’ for the attackers and will continue to watch the BBC’s future coverage.
This development comes against the backdrop of the recent horrific attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where terrorists targeted Hindu tourists.
The Resistance Front, a proxy group linked to the banned Pakistan-based terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, later claimed responsibility for the attack.
During the incident, the terrorists opened fire on tourists visiting Baisaran Valley, resulting in 26 deaths and injuries to several others, including a citizen of Nepal.
Disturbing images and videos showing the aftermath, including scenes of panic and indiscriminate firing, widely shared online.
Global Reactions To The Pahalgam Terror Attack
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, describing it as ‘utterly devastating’.
Posting on social media, Starmer wrote, “The horrific terrorist attack in Kashmir today is utterly devastating. My thoughts are with those affected, their loved ones, and the people of India.”
The horrific terrorist attack in Kashmir today is utterly devastating.
My thoughts are with those affected, their loved ones, and the people of India.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 22, 2025
Separately, the United States also recently criticised a major American publication for coverage similar to that of the BBC in reporting the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack.
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee publicly called out The New York Times, accusing it of softening the incident by referring to the attackers as ‘militants’ and ‘gunmen’ rather than ‘terrorists’.
In a post on X, the Committee shared an image of The New York Times’ original headline – “At Least 24 Tourists Gunned Down by Militants in Kashmir” – with ‘militants’ crossed out and replaced with ‘terrorists’ in bold red letters.
The post read, “Hey, @nytimes we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK plain and simple. Whether it’s India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM the NYT is removed from reality.”
Hey, @nytimes we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK plain and simple.
Whether it’s India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM the NYT is removed from reality. pic.twitter.com/7PefEKMtdq
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) April 23, 2025
Also Read: India Bans 16 Pakistani YouTube Channels; Tightens Measures After Pahalgam Attack
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