QUETTA / ISLAMABAD, March 16: Pakistan on Thursday banned two Afghan TV channels and stopped cable operators from airing their content because they had blamed Pakistani security forces for trying to kill an Afghan politician, an official said.

The Tolo TV and Ariana TV stations were barred from operating in Pakistan because they “were involved in negative propaganda against Pakistan,” said Abdul Jalal Khan, said a Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) that supervises cable and television channels.

“They used poisonous, un-diplomatic language against Pakistan in their programmes,” he said.

The stations stopped airing in Quetta on Thursday, said Mr Khan, who accused both stations of blaming Pakistan’s intelligence network for a March 12 suicide attack on a senior Afghan political figure in Kabul. The official lived, but four people were killed. Islamabad has rejected allegations of involvement.

Privately run Tolo issued a statement condemning the ban, saying “it always attempted to present balanced stories on national, regional and international issues.”

“We are alarmed at news that Tolo has been banned in Balochistan as our station is very popular in the province,” the statement said, adding the Pakistani embassy in Kabul had rejected overtures to discuss the ban.—AP/AFP