The BBC has come under heavy criticism in India over its portrayal of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians lost their lives. The Indian government has formally reached out to Jackie Martin, the head of BBC India, expressing strong displeasure over the media organization's coverage of the tragic incident.

The controversy ignited after BBC published an article titled, "Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists" — a headline that many Indian citizens and officials have slammed as misleading. Critics argue that the phrasing shifts focus from the brutal terrorist assault on Indian soil, incorrectly casting India as the aggressor.

Adding to the concerns, the government has objected to the BBC’s choice of language — specifically, its use of the word "militants" instead of "terrorists" when referring to the attackers. Officials believe that such language downplays the gravity of the act and misrepresents the reality of the situation.

Meanwhile, in a broader crackdown against misinformation and provocative narratives, India has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels. These platforms, flagged by the Home Ministry, were found to be sharing inflammatory, misleading, and potentially divisive content following the Pahalgam attack.

The banned channels include those run by major Pakistani news outlets like Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Geo News, and Suno News, along with several individual journalists such as Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq.


Those attempting to access these channels from within India are now met with a government notice stating: "This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order."

Sources within the government emphasized that the blocks were necessary to curb the spread of false narratives aimed at maligning India's security forces and stirring communal tensions in the wake of the massacre.

This media crackdown comes against the backdrop of wider diplomatic retaliation. India recently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty — a key bilateral agreement — citing Pakistan’s links to the Pahalgam attackers. Additionally, Pakistani nationals residing in India were instructed to leave the country, with strict deadlines imposed for even those on medical visas.

In response, Pakistan has taken retaliatory steps, suspending all bilateral agreements with India, including the historic Simla Agreement. Tensions are palpably rising along the Line of Control, with Pakistani forces reportedly breaching the ceasefire and attempting to provoke Indian troops.

As the dust continues to settle, the backlash against the BBC serves as a reminder of how deeply sensitive narratives around terrorism and national security have become — and how carefully global media must tread when reporting on such grave events.