NBDA bans Pakistani panelists from Indian news channels

New Delhi: The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) on Sunday issued a strict advisory banning all Pakistani panellists from participating in Indian news debates.

Marked "Urgent & Confidential," the directive has been circulated to editors across NBDA member organisations, underscoring a new editorial red line: no airspace for voices from Pakistan, particularly those pushing what the government terms "anti-India propaganda."

The trigger? A mounting backlash following the April 22 terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam that left 26, mostly Hindu, tourists dead. ge.

"In view of the recent attack on tourists in Pahalgam, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has drawn our attention to channels inviting anti-India commentators from Pakistan in their programmes who propagate false propaganda against India," the NBDA stated

The advisory is unambiguous in tone and intent: channels and digital platforms must not be used as a conduit for voices that echo or amplify narratives from across the border.

Editors have been urged to exercise “a high level of editorial discretion and judgment,” a formulation that now carries new weight in an atmosphere charged with national grief, anger, and a resolute diplomatic posture.

The crackdown on Pakistani participation in Indian media follows a series of sharp retaliatory moves by the Indian government. On April 28, New Delhi banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for what was described as “provocative content,” as reported by NewsDrum.

Meanwhile, trade relations have plunged. India has announced sweeping restrictions, including bans on both direct and indirect imports from Pakistan, and has barred Pakistani vessels from docking at Indian ports. The move is expected to disproportionately impact small traders in Pakistan who rerouted goods through Dubai, Singapore, and Colombo.

India’s response is not limited to economics and media. Following the attack, the Attari-Wagah border has been closed and the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty suspended. On the ground, tensions simmer along the Line of Control (LoC), where both armies have reportedly exchanged small arms fire in recent days.