Interior ministry terminates Radio Mashaal's activities for propagating enemy's agenda

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has terminated activities of Radio Mashaal in light of the recommendations made by Pakistan’s intelligence agency on Friday.

“The competent authority has directed to close the office of Radio Mashaal immediately and necessary action be initiated against it,” reads a notification issued by the ministry.

Mashaal Radio was launched eight years ago in upper areas of Pakistan in Pashto language.

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The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has reported that the radio channel through its programs was involved in anti-state propaganda and portraying Pakistan a hub of terrorism and safe heaven for different militant groups.

The ISI said Radio Mashaal is an offshoot of Radio Free Europe (RFE) located at Prague, Czech Republic and its regional headquarters is at FJ Plaza, Block 02, F-7 Markaz in Islamabad.

“Programmes aired by Radio Mashaal are found against the interest of Pakistan and are in-line with hostile intelligence agency’s agenda,” it said.

The national intelligence agency said the radio was propagating Pakistan as a failed state in terms of providing security to its people specially minorities and Pashtoons.

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“(Radio Mashaal was) showing Pashtoon population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa/ Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Balochistan as disenchanted with the state,” reads the interior ministry notification.

It said the distorting facts were aimed at inciting the target population against the state and its institutions.