Slain Pakistani Christian couple Shama and Shahzad remembered by the BBC

Today our Chairman Wilson Chowdhry was invited to BBC’s main news studios in Regent Street, for a radio interview on the persecution faced by Pakistani Christians.  The feature which will also cover persecution faced by minorities in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Egypt, is set to be aired on Sunday across 40 local radio stations. Reporter Alex Strangeways-Booth who has previously asked Wilson to report on discrimination by Islamic aid groups during the 2011 Pakistan inundation, intimated that she is championing a change in the way religious topics are viewed by the BBC, who have long held a secular leftist approach that often marginalises faith.  One of the reasons suggested for the lack of faith features is the lack of diversity within the racial make up of the BBC.  

Mr Chowdhry was given a tour of the building and has been invited to maintain contact, with hope that there may be potential in the future, to stage some filmed news pieces covering topics relating to Pakistani Christians.  Mr Chowdhry said;

“Today history was made, our communities combined efforts have resulted in what could be deemed as mainstream media coverage of a major persecution incident, pertaining to Christians in Pakistan.  For so long we have complained that British media groups ignore the plight of our persecuted brothers and sister in the homeland. Now however, this radio feature with it’s broad coverage, will trigger greater national awareness of Pakistan’s democratic failings and could be the spur for even greater media scrutiny.”

Alex has agreed to add a link to our on-line petition to any web story and to promote our protest and petition on the radio feature, to be broadcast on Sunday.  The BBC TV news crews have been advised of our protest on the 22nd November 2014 and will appear if no other news story takes precedent.  It is therefore now essential that as a community we come out in solidarity, and I pray that many of you put aside your differences, so that we can show a united face to honour Shahzad and Shama (RIP).