Interior ministry shuts down Radio Mashaal on ISI recommendation

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry ordered to shut down Radio Mashaal, after receiving intelligence report regarding the operations of a Pashto language broadcaster connected to the US-funded Radio Free Europe.

Interior ministry issued a notification in this regard on Friday and directed the Islamabad chief and police chief of capital to close down the operations of the radio. The ministry added that the programs of the Radio Mashaal was found against the national interests and spreading fake news regarding Pakistan intelligence in the country and in the region.

It added that Radio Mashaal aired programs and trying to portraying Pakistan is safe havens of terrorists and roots of terrorisms is only in the country and also presenting the Pakhtuns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA are disappointed towards the state and trying to incite the people against the state and its institutions, the Radio Mashaal also propagating and portraying Pakistan as a failed state in terms of providing security to the its minorities.

The ministry, thus, decided to close down the radio’s regional office located in Islamabad and terminate its activities. The

Radio Free Europe which is based in Czech and first it began its services in 2010 by the name of Radio Mashaal with an aim of providing “an alternative to the growing number of extremist radio stations in the region”.