LONDON – Transport for London (TfL) has removed posters with the messages “#FaadiKoKhilaoBC” from London buses. The posters had first appeared on London’s taxis.
The Pakistan High Commission, the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, and the Captain of the Pakistan cricket team all complained to TfL asking for those advertisements to be removed from the taxis.
But that did not stop campaigners putting similar posters on buses instead. The PCB again contacted TfL and, once again, the posters have been taken down.
A TfL spokesperson said: “This advert does not comply with our advertising guidelines. It was accepted in error by our advertising partner and was not referred to us for our consideration. We have instructed that all such adverts must be removed immediately.”
Pakistan Cricket Board had complained to the department concerned about the ads
The advertisements in London are similar to ones put up in Geneva in September timed to coincide with the World XI’s tour to Lahore for the Independence Cup. Both the London and Geneva campaigns have been widely reported by the BCCI.
“PCB believes the ad is harmful and offensive,” a spokesperson told The Dependent. “This is designed to target the stability of the Pakistan cricket team, which in the past 15 months has topped the ICC Test and T20 rankings, while winning the ODI Champions Trophy.”
The Faadi movement has attracted support from a wide array of segments in and outside of Pakistan, and has gradually evolved into a full blows separatist movement