India takes Pakistan TV channels off air in Kashmir

[mujahideen]

India takes Pakistan TV channels off air in Kashmir

By Sheikh Mushtaq

SRINAGAR (Reuters) - Indian authorities have blocked cable TV operators from broadcasting four Pakistani television channels in Kashmir, a move the region's separatists described as "cultural aggression" by New Delhi.

Pakistani television channels are very popular in Muslim-majority Kashmir and cable TV provides the main form of entertainment for people in the troubled region.

More than 50 channels, including three Islamic ones, are usually available, showing news, films and other entertainment in Hindi and English. Some channels also broadcast in the Kashmiri language.

"After receiving orders from the administration, we immediately blocked all four (PTV, ARY, Aaj and Geo TV) channels," Irfan Ahamad, a leading cable TV operator said in Srinagar.

Officials said the cable operators did not have the necessary government clearance to broadcast the channels.

Militant groups that had once shut cinemas, liquor shops and beauty parlours after a separatist revolt began in 1989 in the Kashmir valley were outraged.

"It is another indication of naked aggression by Indian authorities," read a statement from Kashmir's hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chief cleric and chairman of Kashmir's main separatist alliance, All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom Conference), termed the ban on Pakistani TV channels as "cultural aggression" by Indian authorities.

"Kashmir has religious and cultural links with Pakistan and it is unethical to ban Pakistani TV channels," local newspapers quoted Farooq as saying.

More than 43,000 people have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, mainly Hindu India's only Muslim majority state, since a revolt against New Delhi broke out in 1989.

Human rights groups put the toll at about 60,000 dead or missing, but the level of violence has fallen since India and Pakistan, which claim Kashmir in full but rule it in parts, began a peace process in 2004.

Half a dozen alcohol shops, a cinema hall and some beauty parlours have reopened in Srinagar and other parts of the region since then.

But people are still killed in daily shootouts and occasional bomb attacks.

On Wednesday, Indian security forces shot dead three senior members of Kashmir's main rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, in separate shootouts, police said.

© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved

 

[solid snake]

wow, they always ride their high horse when it comes to peace negotiations and then they go and do this. They always act like they are always ready to make peace and initiate "people-people" contact, then why are they so scared of letting the people of Kashmir watch what they want?

The article describes Pakistani channels as being "very popular" in occupied Kashmir. I wonder why?

 

[mujahideen]

Well they are a "democracy" and I am guessing this is part of that democracy. Man if this is democracy I rather have a dictatorship.

 

[Malang]

if Pak TV channels are spewing propaganda then it makes sense... anyways banning TV stations and movies is nothing new...

 

[haviZsultan]

this discussion is going on in 2 places...

how would propaganda be defined. Kashmiris have made it clear that they like the Pakistani channels and the truth represented in them instead of indian ones where u cover up things and use lies and deciet.

 

[Malang]

this discussion is going on in 2 places...
how would propaganda be defined.
Kashmiris have made it clear that they like the Pakistani channels and the truth represented in them instead of indian ones where u cover up things and use lies and deciet.

Propaganda from the GoI POV is anything that comprises their position simplistically..
you call Indian media biased and the Indians call your media biased... and who will call the shots in India?

Pak TV Channels may be as popular or more popular than Indian TV Channels but anything which is against India or GoI or threatens the stability of Kashmir ought to be taken of the air by the govt.

Kashmir still has leaders like Mirwaiz Farooq and Gilani who are pro-Pak and they will obviously raise a hue and cry... but at the end of the day will people come to streets because of this I am reasonable sure they won't ...

PS117 these same TV Channels are criticised by many Pakistanis for their biased views.. I can post search results from this very forum... such exchanges are quite common, I have heard of some Indian channels being banned in Pakistan.. and vice versa...

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

how would propaganda be defined. Kashmiris have made it clear that they like the Pakistani channels and the truth represented in them instead of indian ones where u cover up things and use lies and deciet.

Blah blah and more blah, how do you know Kashmiris dont like Indian media , did you carry out any study, do you have TRP reports ...

 

[haviZsultan]

Blah blah and more blah, how do you know Kashmiris dont like Indian media , did you carry out any study, do you have TRP reports ...

My freind why did u decide to ignore this from the other article before jabbering along mate?

The cuts angered many Kashmiris, who said they relied on Pakistani channels for reliable news about their homeland. Pakistani TV provides comprehensive coverage of what is going on in Kashmir, while Indian media are generally biased, said college student Faisal Ahmed.

Others said they related to the Pakistani channels’ entertainment programming far more than the Indian channels’ song-and-dance, Bollywood-type shows. “These channels are the link to our cultural and religious moorings,” said school teacher Abdul Hamid. It was not the first time Kashmir cable operators have had their content challenged.

Last year they dropped four foreign television channels after Islamic militants accused them of showing obscene content. Political leaders in the Indian-held Kashmir expressed anger at the government order that forced local cable operators to stop airing Pakistani channels.

Kashmiri leaders said the Pakistani channels, which went off the air Wednesday, were targeted for reporting on the human rights situation in the state, where a separatist insurgency has raged for almost two decades. “The order is an act of frustration,” said Mirwaiz Umer Farooq. “The Pakistani media had begun to comment on the human rights situation in Kashmir, especially the situation of unmarked graves.”

Now I am sure this is all Pakistani propaganda... i am sure these people don't even exist or perhaps its more likely that they are Pakistani "ISI agents." I would suggest u prepare a mass grave for them immediately for creating a situation in Kashmir and spreading unrest. I mean how could they possibly favor pakistani channels over indian ones and say anything about India? Its clear they are "ISI agents"

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

The cuts angered many Kashmiris, who said they relied on Pakistani channels for reliable news about their homeland. Pakistani TV provides comprehensive coverage of what is going on in Kashmir, while Indian media are generally biased, said college student Faisal Ahmed.

Others said they related to the Pakistani channels’ entertainment programming far more than the Indian channels’ song-and-dance, Bollywood-type shows. “These channels are the link to our cultural and religious moorings,” said school teacher Abdul Hamid. It was not the first time Kashmir cable operators have had their content challenged.

Last year they dropped four foreign television channels after Islamic militants accused them of showing obscene content. Political leaders in the Indian-held Kashmir expressed anger at the government order that forced local cable operators to stop airing Pakistani channels.

Kashmiri leaders said the Pakistani channels, which went off the air Wednesday, were targeted for reporting on the human rights situation in the state, where a separatist insurgency has raged for almost two decades. “The order is an act of frustration,” said Mirwaiz Umer Farooq. “The Pakistani media had begun to comment on the human rights situation in Kashmir, especially the situation of unmarked graves.”

All heresay . do you have any valid study to back up your claim. do you have reports from IMRB, Taylor neilson or have you conducted a valid media study.?

Now I am sure this is all Pakistani propaganda.

Maybe or maybe not who cares.

I would suggest u prepare a mass grave for them immediately for creating a situation in Kashmir and spreading unrest

That is not my job

I mean how could they possibly favor pakistani channels over indian ones and say anything about India? Its clear they are "ISI agents"

Heck how could Pakistanis love bollywood so much, that same evil bollywood, or wait a minute it can be a RAW propaganda ..

 

[Bill Longley]

to be honest injuns can never be our friends

there are two senerios in which indo Pakistan relations can normalize
1] when indian leadership will stop dreaming Baharat versha/ India as Super Power
2] Pakistan will cease to exist as ideological State and Stop careing for its integrity and Honor

both cases are next to impossible so i belive we will remain enemies
those dreaming good relations must not forget involvement of India in Balochistan, and FATA and indian piggheadedness on Kashmir
india is sponcering terror in FATA and Balochistan.
the responsibilty takeing words and sentences of abo yazeed of al-quida , who took responsibility of Bainazir Bhottos murder were carring same propoganda pattern which indian RAW use and any body can observe the propoganda pattern of Al quida and South Asia Analysis Group B.Ramon group are the same

read
lost Identity: BENAZIRS MURDER, ENEMY BEHIND

normalization can only come if we stop liveing honorable life or india leaves its hegamonic ambitions and dream of Maha bharat rashtra


we free liveing indians and india returns tortured remains of our citizens

india Pakistan honey moon is near its conclusion
there is a clear shift in pakistan policy and now injuns are comming to realization that they wrongly interpreted our friendship signal
all leader ship of hurriat has been arrested by injun aprathied occupation govt.
ptv ,geo,ary and aaj banned because they know that pakistani nation is in no mood to take dead bodies of its citizens and allow it self to be resident of deseart state.
quoteing bhotto kashmir is is in our blood

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