SRINAGAR, May 7: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed all deputy commissioners in Indian-held Kashmir to take action against 34 Pakistani and Saudi TV channels over concerns their content may incite violence and disrupt the law and order situation in the disputed region, sources reported on Sunday.
The chief minister issued the directive following the Indian government’s order to take immediate steps and stop the unauthorised broadcast of Pakistani and Saudi Arabian channels in Indian-held Kashmir.
“It has been reported that the cable operators in the valley have been transmitting certain TV channels which are not permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India,” said an order issued by India’s Home Department Principal Secretary R K Goyal.
“Transmission of non-permitted TV channels apart from attracting the violation (of the law), has the potential to encourage or incite violence and create law and order disturbances in the Kashmir Valley.
“As per Section 11 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, the district magistrate has the power to seize the equipment in case of a violation,” the order reads.
The 34 channels include Peace TV Urdu and English, ARY QTV, Madni Channel, Noor TV, Hadi TV, Paigam, Hidayat, Saudi Al-Sunnah Al-Nabawiyah, Saudi-Al-Quran Al-Karim, Sehar, Karbala TV, Ahli-biat TV, Message TV, Hum TV, ARY Digital Asia, Hum Sitaray, ARY Zindagi, PTV Sports, ARY Musik, TV One, ARY Masala, ARY Zauq, A TV, Geo News, ARY News Asia, Abb Takk News, Waseb TV, 92 News, Duniya News, Samaa News, Geo Tez, Express News and ARY News.-Agencies
