LONDON/LAHORE: The viral ‘Bhai Bhai Channel’ (BBC) reporter Mehrunnisa has revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has struck down her social media platforms – YouTube and TikTok – by filing a copyrights complaint to the social media companies.
Mehrunnisa has gone viral online in the last three days after her videos were shared widely over her unique, inner-Lahore reporting style of the floods, powered by her raw expressions. She told Geo News on Saturday evening that her social media platforms have been shut down over copyrights complaints by the BBC. She gained BBC Urdu’s attention after she was seen holding a mic for the BBC which looked a clear copy of the real BBC. When netizens started tagging BBC online, Mehrunnisa issued a statement through this reporter explaining that her channel was entirely different: Bhai Bhai Channel (BBC), and not the UK BBC. She said: “I work for the ‘BBC Urdu News Punjab TV’ and we have no competition with the BBC; we are Bhai Bhai Channel BBC).”
Multiple rivers in Punjab, including Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab are witnessing increased water flow due to torrential rains coupled with the water discharge from India, killing at least 30 people. Amid this devastation, social media users in Pakistan found a light-hearted moment in reporting of Mehrunnisa. She kicked off her report with all the seriousness: “As you can see, the water pressure is rising.” But within seconds, the character broke, giving way to an unfiltered squeal: “Bohat dar lag raha hai, kabhi yeh iss side hoti hai kabhi uss — balance nahin ho raha humse (We’re terrified, the boat keeps tipping from one side to another, we can’t balance).” And then came the sign-off that sealed her viral fame: “Bas aap hamare liye dua karein, guys” (Just pray for us, guys).
After the video went viral, the BBC Urdu issued a statement to clear the air. “It has come to our attention that a digital media company called BBC Urdu News Punjab TV is operating in Pakistan while using the BBC’s name,” it stated.
“The BBC has no connection whatsoever with this organisation or its reporters, nor has it authorised the use of its name in this manner,” it said, distancing itself from the digital platform and the reporter.
The British broadcaster warned audiences to beware of impostors and requesting to “first verify the presence of any content published under the BBC’s name on the BBC’s official platforms.”
Mehrunnisa hit back: “People say we copied BBC, but we didn’t. Their BBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation, and our BBC stands for… Bhai Bhai Channel.”
After her channels were shut down, Mehrunnisa appealed to the BBC to take back the strikes. She appealed: “It’s my appeal to the BBC to take back the strikes issued on my channels on Youtube and TikTok. Our accounts have been shut down over a copyright strike. We are a small, Lahore-based channel. We have worked hard on it. We have no competition with you. Please restore us.”