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On Wednesday, the BBC reported on an interview between one of its most senior correspondents, John Simpson, and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. But it was Simpson’s analysis that stood out. Receiving Khan’s claim that Pakistan’s positive relationship with India is only obstructed by Kashmir, Simpson inexplicably took Khan’s words at face value. “He was offering the hand of friendship: Let’s work together to solve our common problems,” Simpson said.

Simpson then added this gem: “The fact is, Imran Khan needs to lighten the atmosphere.”

Yes, well, maybe that’s because terrorists supported by the Pakistani state recently massacred 40 Indian security officers.

Simpson then jumped off the intellectual cliff: throwing doubt on the undeniable fact that Pakistan allows terrorists safe haven on its soil. This reality, Simpson said, represents “claims” that Khan “strongly denied.” Considering the BBC gives Simpson unusual latitude to offer his own opinion, there is no excuse for his failure to challenge Khan’s kindly words. This is a very important issue, and Simpson misses the heart of it with his defective report.

Pakistan, not India, is the overwhelming problem in the India-Pakistan relationship. It is Pakistan that continues supporting terrorists in attacks on Indian soil. It is Pakistan that then denies it has any responsibility for atrocities for which any objective observer knows it is culpable.

That the Indian government might have a slight problem with Khan is not terribly surprising. Khan situates his power in a perverse alliance of populism and Islamic fanaticism. And when figures like Simpson sell Khan’s BS as hopeful rhetoric from some kind of cool former cricket star, they mislead readers to a rather important nuclear-tinged reality. Much as I like the BBC, this report from Simpson was a big fail.