The British government has taken action to remove anti-Pakistan advertisements from London cabs after the Pakistani government raised the issue with British authorities.
The Pakistani High Commission had taken up the issue with Transport For London (TFL) after a few iconic cabs were spotted carrying ‘Free Balochistan’ slogans in parts of Zone 1 & 2 in Central London, while Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua had summoned British High Commissioner Thomas Drew at the Foreign Office on Friday to convey Islamabad’s concern over the slogans seen on some cabs in London.
According to the Foreign Office, Drew was told that the propaganda against Pakistan’s territorial sovereignty would not be tolerated. The issue was raised with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by Pakistan’s High Commissioner to England Syed Ibne Abbas as well.
The campaign is being run by a group calling itself World Baloch Organisation (WBO).
According to reports, the London campaign is similar to the one conducted in Geneva last month by an outfit called ‘Baluchistan House’ which ran an expensive campaign across the transport networks of the city.
High Commissioner Abbas told a media outfit that Transport for London had ordered the removal of the offensive ads from London cabs immediately after the matter was brought to their notice.
“TFL has confirmed that it has initiated an enquiry into the matter and has also assured us that it will take disciplinary action against the perpetrators of this malicious campaign,” he said.
A TFL spokesman said that it had received a complaint from the Pakistani government and that an enquiry has been initiated.
It’s understood that Pakistani authorities told TFL that its own rules on advertisements were violated.
The TFL rules state that its licensed public carriers cannot be used for political purposes and their license was only for commercial and business purposes. TFL receives adverts from various commercial agencies and in this instance, a Baloch exiled leader paid the advertising agency to book the political campaign.
The spokesman said that TFL has appointed an enforcement officer who will ensure that the offensive slogans are removed and that the drivers not obliging the rules will be suspended from work.
Let the world moves to remove, disintegrate or destroy the unnaturally created state of pakistan bt the bloody Jinnah!
I doubt British government will play in the hands of Pakistan and suppress freedom of expression which is cherished principle in that country. Pakistan must understand that suppression and murders faced by Baluch people over last 70 years is gaining international exposure. More and more countries are expressing angry concerns over the human rights violations in Baluchistan where people disappear almost every day never to return again to their families. Same is happening in Sindh too. Deep state within Pakistan needs to wake up to new reality in the 21st century.
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