Retributions  

Where factual reporting falls victim to political correctness

Pakistan’s cricket captain Shoaib’s Malik’s atrocious comment appropriating the entire Muslim community in the cause of Pakistan’s cricket team (including it seems the two playing for India) has quite rightly raises the hackles of many Indians. Perhaps, Malik’s poor command over the English language can explain his comment though a less charitable view would blame the prominence given to religion in the Inzamam-ul-Haq era.

But surely, language barrier cannot explain BBC’s coverage which simply removed the word ”Muslim” from Malik’s comments,

I want to thank everyone back in Pakistan and around the world – sorry we didn’t win but we did give 100%.[link]

The exact comment Malik made was,

First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the Muslim lives all over the world.”[link]

Perhaps, it was a genuine error. In that case, BBC is highly incompetent especially considering this remark was heard by millions and reported correctly by almost every major newspaper. But one suspects that BBC has come so far away from its glory days that it’s objectivity is now a prisoner to political correctness.