News Broadcasting
Pak cable ops switch off BBC World News
NEW DELHI: Pakistani cable television operators have begun blocking the BBC‘s international news TV channel, BBC World News, reportedly in response to a documentary broadcast by the channel entitled Secret Pakistan.
Other foreign channels broadcasting “anti-Pakistan” material have been warned that they too will be blocked.
The BBC said it was deeply concerned by the move, and called for its channel to be speedily reinstated.
“We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service,” a BBC spokesperson said. “We would urge that BBC World News… to be reinstated as soon as possible.”
The two-part BBC documentary questioned the country‘s commitment to tackling Taliban militancy. It argued that some in Pakistan were playing a double game, and quoted US intelligence officials as saying that they had acted as America‘s ally in public while secretly training and arming the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Correspondents say the Pakistani government is likely to have put pressure on the operators to impose the ban, although Pakistan has denied this. The country‘s High Commission in London said the cable operators had taken the decision to block BBC World News on their own.
“The government of Pakistan strictly believes in the freedom of press and media,” said a statement from the High Commission.
The decision to block BBC World News and the warning to other international news channels came after a media uproar in Pakistan over a NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops near the Afghan border over the weekend.
The operators called on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) “to revoke the landing rights of foreign channels” if they were found to be “propagating” information harmful to the country.
Correspondents say it is not possible to see BBC World News in most Pakistani cities, with the ban expected to be extended to rural areas too.
Cable Operators Association spokesman Khalid Arain said that no anti-Pakistan foreign channel would “ever” be broadcast in the country. He said BBC World News would only be put back on air if the corporation offered assurances that it would not broadcast anything “against Pakistan”.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
