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COMPLAINT DOSSIER
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Complaint - BBC Story “Uncovering Pakistan's Secret Human Rights Abuses”:

Dated 2nd June 2019

1. Being objective, factual and impartial are the core values of journalism. In line
with these tenets, media must stay away from subjectivity, spinning news and biases.
Equally important is to present the version of all stake holders without angling.
Manipulating the news items through half-truths, lies and exaggerated, one sided
accounts to support pre-determined conclusions, indicate agenda setting and
undermines the credibility of a news organization. “Mass Media are the principal
connection between events in the world and images in the mind of the public” (Walter
Lippman, Public Opinion 1922). “Media has the ability to influence the importance
placed on the topics of public discourse” (Agenda Setting Theory Max McCombs and
Donald Shaw 1968). Therefore, words matter as they affect the public opinion.
2. Public funded organizations (e.g. BBC) share greater responsibility to uphold
objectives ordained in their charter & editorial guidelines. BBC’s story “Uncovering
Pakistan's Secret Human Rights Abuses” dated June 2 2019, accuses Pakistan and its
Armed Forces of killing innocent civilians – a charge which doesn’t have an iota of truth
and is not backed by evidence.
3. The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), office of the Pakistan Armed Forces
spokesperson, received an email from Mr Simon Fraser - Asia Editor, of the BBC
Website - titled “Human Right Abuses in North Waziristan” on 28 March 2019, claiming,
“BBC has gathered evidence that members of Pakistan military are guilty of
widespread human right abuses against residents in North Waziristan over a period of
many years” (email attached as Anx ‘A’). After analyzing the questions and the vague
statements termed as so called evidence, the ISPR responded to email on April 1 2019
saying that “the expression of email is highly judgmental. Before undertaking the
story, an interaction is suggested to know the facts”. (copy attached as Anx ‘B’).
However, despite ISPR’s offer for a detailed interaction, BBC went ahead with its one
sided story in violation of its own editorial guidelines and charter including the following:
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 1.2.1 Trust. Impartial and honest, committed to achieving the highest

standards of accuracy, impartiality and strive to avoid knowingly and
materially misleading the audience.
 1.2.2 Truth and Accuracy. Accuracy is not simply a matter of getting
facts right when necessary, we will weigh relevant facts and information to
get at the truth. Our output, as appropriate to its subject and nature, will be
well sourced, based on sound evidence, thoroughly tested and
presented in clear, precise language. We will strive to be honest and
open about what we don’t know and avoid unfounded speculation.
 1.2.3 Impartiality. We will apply due impartiality to all our subject matter
and will reflect a breadth and diversity of opinion across our output as a
whole, over an appropriate period, so that no significant strand of
thought is knowingly un-reflected or under-represented. We will be fair
and open-minded when examining evidence and weighing material facts.
 1.2.4 Editorial Integrity and Independence. Our audiences should be
confident that our decisions are not influenced by outside interests, political
or commercial pressures, or any personal interests.
 1.2.6 Serving the Public Interest. We will be rigorous in establishing
the truth of the story and well informed when explaining it.
 1.2.10 Transparency. We will be transparent about the nature and
provenance of the content we offer online.
 1.3.2 The Agreement accompanying the BBC Charter specifies that we
should do all we can "to ensure that controversial subjects are treated
with due accuracy and impartiality". It also states that our output is
forbidden from expressing the opinion of the BBC on current affairs or
matters of public policy, other than broadcasting or the provision of online
services.
 4.2.1 We must do all we can to ensure that 'controversial subjects' are
treated with due impartiality in all our output.
 4.2.2 News in whatever form must be treated with due impartiality, giving
due weight to events, opinion and main strands of argument.
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 4.2.3 We seek to provide a broad range of subject matter and

perspectives over an appropriate timeframe across our output as a whole.
 4.2.4 We are committed to reflecting a wide range of opinion across
our output as a whole and over an appropriate timeframe so that no
significant strand of thought is knowingly un-reflected or under-represented.
 11.4.1 When reporting war, and in the early stages of covering national
and international emergencies (including acts of terror, disasters and major
accidents), it is particularly important to give the source of information
and material from third parties, particularly when there are conflicting
claims. First estimates of casualty figures often turn out to be inaccurate.
If different sources give different estimates we should either report the
range or go for the source which carries the greatest authority and
attribute the estimate accordingly.
 11.4.2 When reporting demonstrations, disturbances and similar events,
we should treat estimates of involvement with due scepticism, report wide
disparities and name the sources of the figures. We aim to offer a
comprehensive and impartial view of events. When it is difficult for
reporters located on one side of a confrontation to form a clear overall view,
their material should be put into a wider context for broadcast.
 1.2.11 Accountability (we will be open in acknowledging, mistakes
when they are made and encourage a culture of willingness to learn
from them).
4. The detailed response to the contents of this highly defamatory, libelous and
false story of the BBC is as under:
Ser Content / Issues Response
a. Title - “Uncovering Pakistan's  The State of Pakistan has been implicated
Secret Human Rights without proof.
Abuses”  The word “secret” is misleading as Pakistan is
fighting against terrorism as declared four pillar
strategy (clear, hold, build & transfer) and the
operations undertaken after government’s approval
and AACPO (The Actions (in Aid of Civil Power)
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Ser Content / Issues Response

Regulation) 2011 and in line with UN Global
Counter Terrorism Strategy (UNGCTS-2006).
 These efforts have been recognized by the
world, in particular by UK CGS, Nick Carter during
his visit to Miran Shah on 19 October 2016 (text
attached).
 The word abuse is also incorrect in the given
context as it alludes to a state policy of coercion
of civilians which is nothing but part of the
disinformation campaign against the Pakistan
Armed Forces.
b. There was no response to BBC  This is another lie as the External Publicity (EP)
requests for comment from Govt wing/ Secretary Info/ PIO (Principal Information
of PM Imran Khan. Officer)/ Special Assistant to PM on Media was
not contacted which contradicts BBC’s official
editorial guideline no 11.4.1 that while reporting
on war and covering national/intl emergencies (incl
issues on terrorism) we will report the source
carrying the greatest authority.
 Available official government stance (both
federal & KP govts) on the issues was not
included in the story in a willful manner.
c. Pakistan military spokesman  Wrong attribution to ISPR.
declined to respond to cases  ISPR never declined; rather it offered an
highlighted by PTM, and which opportunity including interaction to ascertain facts.
BBC investigated independently.  The expression of the email reflected slant
favoring one of the stake holders, while falsely
implicating the other – the Pakistan Military-
without any interaction.
 The BBC did not share any evidence, instead
emailed five vague questions.
 The first question regarding a family allegedly
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Ser Content / Issues Response

targeted in some strike did not mention names of
the alleged victims. How can the Govt / ISPR
respond to query about hospital bills’ payment,
when these “victims” were not named.
 The BBC’s email starts with an allegation; “guilty
of widespread human rights abuses”. Declaring
any one guilty right at the formulation stage of the
story indicates pre-conceived conclusion. Similarly
quoting five false allegations do not justify the use
of qualifying words such as ‘wide spread’. This
shows bias and angling of the events, which is
nothing but yellow journalism.
 Second question is subjective, showing a clear
bias, as number of terrorist attacks occur across
the world, wherein security forces despite best
efforts can not preclude such activities e.g. 9/11,
7/7 bombings in London, Christchurch mosque
incident etc. Most importantly, the cited incident
is of 2007, when the military operation had yet
not been undertaken and terrorists were morphed
into tribal areas’ population particularly Afghan
refugees.
 More than 80,000 casualties across Pakistan have
occurred through targeting of civilians and the
security forces by terrorism. Since 2001, more than
1200 major and minor operations & 96,000 IBOs
have been conducted throughout Pakistan
including Waziristan. In this particular story, the
BBC has tried to manipulate information only about
Waziristan, which still is a volatile area.
 The 3rd, 4th and 5th questions of the email are
unsubstantiated allegations without quoting
source or sharing any evidence. Lack of BBC’s
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Ser Content / Issues Response

interest in ascertaining the facts, is proved by no
response to ISPR’s offer for an interaction to know
the facts.
d. Evidence of murder & torture by  Equating terrorist actions with the state’s
soldiers & insurgents is legitimate operations is highly misleading.
emerging only now. Pakistan went after these terrorists after proofs of
their killing and torturing and terrorizing the local
civilian population, undermining the state writ.
 Operations in these terrorist - infested areas were
only undertaken after ensuring that peaceful
civilian population had moved out of the conflict
areas and relocated in the temporary displaced
person (TDP) camps. The Operations were against
the terrorists and not against the civilians who
themselves were the worst victims of terrorism.
 In conflicts sometimes civilians do inadvertently get
caught in the cross fire, but Pakistan Armed
Forces’ record in this regard is excellent and there
are hardly any fratricide incidents. In the United
Kingdom, Hutton inquiry also pointed towards such
incidents. UK Prime Minister publically
apologized for actions on wrong intelligence.
Has BBC filed a similar report about the UK
Army in Iraq & Afghanistan as part of NATO? Mr
Leon Panetta acknowledged operations carried out
on wrong intelligence.
e. TV news networks trumpeted a  The author mentions TV networks (not any specific
major victory in the war against TV Channel), quoting security officials (without
Pakistani Taliban – the killing of names); no authentic evidence cited.
one of the group’s most senior  Air raid was never claimed by ISPR/Govt.
commanders in a night-time air  Military did not claim killing of Adnan Rasheed,
raid. let alone the air raid.
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Ser Content / Issues Response

 The operations in North Waziristan had yet not
been undertaken by then (20 January 2014, as
quoted in the story).
f. BBC travelled to Dera Ismael  BBC managed to travel all the way to Dera Ismail
Khan (DIK) to meet the man Khan; but did not avail the offer made by ISPR for
whose house was hit. a detailed interaction, include the official
government stance or approach Ministry of
Information. This shows the mala fide intent,
writer’s personal biases, evident from his
social media activities (copy attached as Anx
‘C’)
 The only witness Mr Nazir Ullah, quoted in the
BBC has not talked about any operation or air
strike.
g. Waziristan and other parts of  Locked down & porous border are self-
vast mountainous tribal region contradictory. 2611 kilometers long porous border
have been controlled and cannot be locked down and controlled without
locked down by the Pak Military security forces physically manning on both sides of
since the US invasion of the border.
Afghanistan after 9/11, which  In 2001 & 2008, security forces were pulled out
saw Taliban fighters, Al-Qaeda from the western borders in the wake of standoff
Jihadists and other militants flee with India.
over the porous border.  To clear the area from terrorists, Operations Rah-
e-Nijaat & Zarb-e-Azab were undertaken in 2009 &
2014 in South Waziristan & North Waziristan,
respectively.
h. Outsiders, including Journalists,  Despite security constraints, foreign & domestic
cannot get in - so verifying media got full opportunity to visit tribal areas.
claims from the security forces BBC alone has visited tribal areas 14 times.
is extremely difficult. Those who Foreign Media excluding BBC has also visited
have reported stories from erstwhile FATA 137 times. Domestic media
Waziristan that don’t reflect well undertook more than 400 visits in the tribal region.
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Ser Content / Issues Response

on the military have found Operations in Waziristan have been one of the
themselves punished. most extensively covered / reported in Pakistan’s
 Those in media who have not fight against terrorism. The author of the BBC’s
heeded the ban, have faced defamatory story did not request for even once
physical threats and financial to visit the area. The non-availing of ISPR’s offer
pressure. for interaction and no request for visit of the area
by the BBC writer reflects that the aim of the
story was not ascertaining the facts, but to
peddle anti Pakistan Army agenda.
 Recently, BBC team (Ms Humaira Kanwal) visited
NWD &SWD (7-14 January 2019).
 Besides media teams, foreign delegations have
also been visiting these areas, including the late
US senator John Mccain in SWA, British Chief of
Staff General Nicholas Patrick Carter, General
John W. Nicholson, Commander Resolute Support
Mission along with US Force members in
Afghanistan and Defense Attaches.
 The allegation that those who reported stories
from Waziristan not reflecting well with the
Army’s point of view, have found themselves
punished has not been substantiated by even a
single example, quoting specific sources or
giving any evidence.
 Such baseless accusations without taking the
version of the accused party are in clear violation
of fair, factual and unbiased journalistic
standards and BBC’s Editorial policy.
 “Those in media who have not heeded the ban,
have faced physical threats and financial
pressure.” The allegation is again a complete lie
and highly misleading. Can BBC name any media
house or individual, who has been victimized,
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Ser Content / Issues Response

targeted or punished for covering the war against
terrorism in Waziristan? Clearly this statement
underlines the biased and
antigovernment/Pakistan Military slant of the writer.
i. Instead of taking out top militant,  “The authorities have never acknowledged that
Pak military had actually killed they made a mistake”, is not just a judgmental
the family of a local man who expression, but is incorrect. Such arbitrary
had his home blown to pieces. judgments are in contravention of BBC Editorial
The authorities have never Policy clauses 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.10,
acknowledged that they made 1.3.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.4 & 11.4.1.
a mistake.  No evidence of the so called strike was either
shared in the BBC’s mail sent to the ISPR or was
quoted in the story.
 It is once again reiterated that military operations
had yet not started by the time of the alleged
strike.
 Despite presence of World’s best Army, having the
best intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
(ISR) mechanism, United States still couldn’t stop
collateral damage. Incidents like killing of innocent
children in Kunduz due to air attacks. US military –
assistance mission operating from the Helmand
base was attacked and Afg troops were killed.
j. Local right activists say scores  The expression “scores of civilians” is vague, in
of civilians have been killed in correct and gives a misleading impression of mass
successive air campaigns and atrocities. It is an attempt to malign and defame the
ground operations by the Pakistan Armed Forces through lies.
military. They have been  This promotes a one side’s point of view, without
collecting video/documentary any cogent evidence & third party’s take on the
evidence to back up their matter. It amplifies the biased nature of the story
claims. with particular motives to defame Pakistan as
state in general and its security forces in
particular.
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Ser Content / Issues Response

 The air attack component, wherever used, was
only when all population had been moved out from
that area. All the airstrikes were targeted against
specific terrorists’ hide outs, located away from the
inhabited areas.
 The writer accuses Pakistan of “Successive air
campaigns” but did not mention scores of drone
strikes in the area. This again shows the
dishonest approach of the BBC writer.
 The false claims made by the so-called rights
activists have not been double checked /
confirmed from the federal or provincial KP
governments, cross-section of the public
representatives of the region and third party
sources. Even the available response was twisted/
wrongly quoted.
k. The army said that at least three  Twisting even available content.
activists were shot dead after a  Pak Army never said that three activists were
military Check post was shot dead. ISPR issued a statement (copy
attacked. attached) “A group led by Mohsin Javed and Ali
Wazir assaulted Kharkamar check post. Due to the
firing of the group five army soldiers got injured. In
exchange of fire three individuals who attacked
the post lost their lives”.
 The writer willfully only gave the point of view
of the so called activists. This tantamounts to
distorting the facts and deliberately ignoring the
official government / ISPR version on the issue.
l. When the US attacked  “Pakistan had an interest in keeping the movement
Afghanistan in 2001, the Taliban alive...” is a biased assumption and allegation. Can
forces that had sheltered Al- the BBC or the author quote who divulged
Queda leader Osama Bil Ladin Pakistan’s interests to them?
melted away without a fight.
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Ser Content / Issues Response

Pakistan had an interest in  This is a clear example of libel, and implicating
keeping the movement alive state of Pakistan, without citing not even a
as part of its efforts to prevent single source.
Indian influence from  Giving such opinions is gross violation of BBC’s
spreading in Afghanistan. Editorial Policy.
 As BBC is public funded organization, does is this
opinion also shared by the British Govt or has it
been intently included in the story only to taint
the facts and create misperceptions against
Pakistan?
Pakistan allowed Taliban to  It is sweeping generalization without proof,
carve out sanctuaries in ignoring the ground realities of porous border, the
Pakistan, semi-autonomous historical baggage of US supported post-Soviet
tribal areas, notably North invasion resistance ‘Jihad’, ineffective border
Wazirstan Districts /South mechanism on the Afghan side despite presence
Wazirstan Districts. of NATO forces, power contestations through
proxies in the region etc.
 Ex US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on
record to have said, “People we are fighting
today, we funded 20 years ago. We then left
Pakistan – we don’t have anything to do with
you; we are sanctioning you”.
m. Unauthentic sources quoted.  The story does not cite any credible source or
provides evidence. The shadowy and shady
sources quoted in the story, including “an eye
witness who watched the operation from wheat
field”, unnamed local activists etc.
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Anx A
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Anx B
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Anx C

Social Media Tweets in Support of Social Activist Groups

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Anx D

A group led by Mohsin Javed and Ali Wazir, assaulted Kharqamar check post,

Boyya, North Waziristan tribal district this morning.

Rawalpindi - May 26, 2019

No PR-106/2019-ISPR

A group led by Mohsin Javed and Ali Wazir, assaulted Kharqamar check post,
Boyya,North Waziristan tribal district this morning. They wanted to exert pressure for
release of suspected terrorists’ facilitator arrested the other day. Troops at the check
post exercised maximum restraint in the face of provocation and direct firing on the
post. Due to firing of the group 5 Army soldiers got injured. In exchange of fire 3
individuals who attacked the post lost their lives and 10 got injured. All injured
evacuated to Army Hospital for treatment. Ali Wazir along with 8 individuals have been
arrested while Mohsin Javed is at large after inciting the crowd.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
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Anx E
Gen. Nicholas Carter, Chief of Staff British Army- Statement
It’s a great privilege for me as head of British Army to come to Miran Shah and I have
heard so much about this place and I have heard so much about the work Pakistan
Army has been doing in this part of the world. I have spent a lot of my time in
Afghanistan and I really do understand the nature of task, the problem of this common
threat that we will face and I think it’s the huge credit of Pakistan Army that they have
managed to clear and hold this area. The trick now is to building peace to it and it’s
really inspiring to see how that is underway in Miran Shah and I look forward to see
population return.