BBC anchor 'shuts down' US scholar exposing Taliban-Pakistan nexus, Twitterati expresses anger

Twitter users slammed the international media house over the act.

“There has never been a risk-averse Pakistan, whether you’re looking at incredibly outrageous terror attacks in India or whether you are looking at the support of the Taliban in the 1990s and all that brought about. Even the fact that Pakistan harbours virtual petting zoos of terrorists in its own country with the hope they will only…,” Fair said when the scholar was interrupted by Thomas during the show. A clip of the event has now gone viral on social media.

Cutting down her chance to speak further, the anchor said, "We have given you space to put your point of view, but we are going to leave it now."

Fair could be heard saying to the anchor: "You are doing their propagandist work.”

Several prominent Twitter users criticised the BBC over the act.

Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington and now director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, tweeted: "How is it @PhilippaBBC ’s job to shut a guest down? Surely, she could have invited a Pakistani official later to give their view. As a news anchor, she should know that many people have the same analysis/view as @CChristineFair whether one agrees with it or not."

Indian journalist Suhasini Haider said, " “Also it is inaccurate to say that Pakistan denies creating the Taliban. In fact, it has repeatedly said that it built up the Taliban (Mujahideen) in collaboration with the United States.” 

West Asia analyst Kyle Orton slammed BBC and tweeted: "Quite gross from @BBCNews : our 'impartiality' doctrine was used to basically shut down @CChristineFair when she explained #Pakistan's jihad policy in #Afghanistan that has brought us all to this catastrophe — an issue on which there is no 'balance' or 'other side', factually."