ISLAMABAD:
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has lodged a strong official protest and formal complaint with BBC Urdu over the publication of “fake news on Azad Jammu and Kashmir”, accusing the broadcaster of relying on unverified allegations and ignoring official facts and official statements.
In a post on X, the ministry said the report was based on unverified and uncorroborated claims and did not reflect the official position.
“Unfortunately, this is not the first case of this type of reporting,” he said. “The repeated publication of unverified claims has become a trend and corrective measures need to be taken.”
Separately, the ministry and the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) issued detailed fact checks rejecting the BBC Urdu report alleging that the police had blocked the movement of food, medicine and fuel during the ongoing unrest in the region.
Both dismissed the report as “factually incorrect” and maintained that allegations of road closures or restrictions on vehicle movement were not true.
According to fact-checking by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, building a news report around the statement of an anonymous source without credible verification gives the impression of promoting a particular narrative.
The AJK government’s fact-check specifically rejected BBC Urdu’s claim that police had detained civilians transporting food, medicine and fuel, calling it contrary to facts.
He said the report’s headline and central allegation were based entirely on an anonymous source and contained no video evidence or any independent witness account or official statement to substantiate the claim.
The AJK government further maintained that claims of roadblocks or restrictions on vehicle movement were not true, adding that roads across the region remained open to traffic.
He also noted that during a joint press conference held on June 23, the AJK Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police categorically denied the allegations regarding road closure.
According to fact-checking, any disruption observed on the roads was caused by protesters belonging to the banned Action Committee, who allegedly attempted to stop and loot vehicles carrying essential goods.
He said law enforcement agencies acted promptly to protect the vehicles and their cargo, while ensuring roads remained open and traffic continued.
The federal ministry and the AJK government urged international media to maintain professional journalistic standards and refrain from publishing unverified, misleading and unfounded reports.
In a related development, AJK’s police chief warned citizens at home and abroad against misinformation and AI-generated content, urging them to rely on official sources for information amid a “hybrid war” environment.
Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police Captain (retd) Liaqat Ali Malik said all entry points into AJK remained open to all types of traffic, including vehicles carrying essential commodities, and rejected reports suggesting otherwise.
He urged overseas Pakistanis, particularly members of the Kashmiri diaspora in the UK and Europe, to verify information through authentic government media and social media platforms.
“All major entry points into the territory including Kohala, Azad Pattan and Bararkot are open to all types of traffic without any intervention except routine security checks within police protocols,” he said.
Malik alleged that activists of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had erected barriers at some places and attacked or snatched trucks loaded with goods, adding that law enforcement agencies were regularly clearing roads and facilitating transportation for commuters.
Referring to a recent BBC Urdu report, Malik claimed that the report was based on unverified allegations and was published without seeking the government’s version, despite the availability of official contact channels.
“We can say that this article is very far from reality. [ ]”, said.
