The Indian Government has protested the BBC’s reportage of the recent terror strike in Pahalgam, accusing the British media organization of underplaying the gruesome attack which claimed 26 lives.
In its news item headlined “Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack,” BBC used the term “militant attack” to describe the Pahalgam terror attack and called the perpetrators “gunmen.” The Government of India explained to BBC India head Jackie Martin how it felt about the word choice and accused the channel of withholding important information — specifically, that the murders were conducted on religious grounds.
Officials highlighted that survivors of the April 22 attack revealed chilling details: the terrorists asked victims for their names, ordered them to lower their trousers to check their religious identity, and demanded they recite the Kalma (Islamic declaration of faith). The ones who failed were shot dead at point-blank range. The BBC’s report, officials argue, failed to cover these religiously motivated aspects thoroughly enough and thus misrepresented the severity and nature of the attack.
The Ministry of External Affairs announced that it will keep a close eye on the BBC’s reporting on these and similar incidents in the future. The government also asked the BBC to refrain from using language or reporting that might offend public sentiments in India.
What Did the BBC Report?
In its coverage, the BBC referred to the region as “Indian-administered Kashmir” and described the attackers as “militants” and “gunmen.” The report said, “Pakistan has responded with tit-for-tat measures against India as tensions soared following a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists… Tuesday’s attack saw a group of gunmen fire on tourists near Pahalgam, a resort in the disputed Himalayan region.”
This choice of words, the government claims, effectively downplayed the premeditated, religiously targeted nature of the violence.
The Pahalgam Terror Attack and Its Aftermath
On April 22, terrorists attacked a group of tourists at Baisaran Valley, famously called “Mini Switzerland,” in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Twenty-six visitors were brutally killed. Survivors later described how terrorists screened victims according to religion before killing them.
The atrocity stunned the country and the world, and there was all-round condemnation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer categorically labeled it a “terrorist attack.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led an emergency Cabinet Committee on Security meeting in retaliation. The Government of India issued a series of swift retaliation measures, including: Immediate suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, Revocation of all visas granted to Pakistani citizens, and Closure of the Attari border crossing.
