Taliban halts BBC FM radio broadcasts

The Taliban government has suspended all BBC broadcasting operations through its FM radio network in Afghanistan, citing repeated violations of regulations.

A spokesperson for the government said the decision was taken because of repeated breaches of rules but did not provide further details.

In 2022, two US media outlets were banned in Afghanistan. Since then, the BBC had been the only international news organisation broadcasting directly from within the country.

In a statement, the BBC said millions of people in Afghanistan relied on it for accurate and impartial information. The broadcaster added that it was continuing discussions with the authorities over the suspension.

The BBC said it would continue providing independent and impartial journalism to Afghan audiences in Pashto, Dari and English through shortwave and mediumwave radio, online platforms and satellite services.

The British broadcaster said its news, educational programmes and other content reached more than 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s adult population every week, particularly after girls were barred from attending secondary schools.

Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Taliban government’s Ministry of Information and Culture, told local media that the authorities had decided to suspend all BBC operations nationwide for the time being because of repeated violations of certain rules.

After returning to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban imposed strict controls on the country’s media. Playing music on radio has been banned, while the appearance of women on television has declined significantly. Male and female journalists are also no longer seen appearing together on screen.

Although people can access some social media platforms, limited electricity coverage and low literacy rates remain major barriers to accessing information in large parts of the country.

The BBC Afghan Service has been operating in Afghanistan since 1981.

-MT