India bans Pakistani TV channels in Held Kashmir

[pkpatriotic]

Friday, April 25, 2008
OCCUPIED SRINAGAR: Local authorities in the Indian-occupied Kashmir have ordered most Pakistani cable stations off the air in the territory, cable operators said on Thursday.

The popular Pakistani channels are the only source of entertainment and current news programming in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. The Indian cable operators in Kashmir carried several Pakistani channels, including state-run PTV, for several years. It was not clear why the local officials ordered the cuts now.

The state government in Kashmir sent cable operators an order on Wednesday directing them to stop airing most of the channels because they had not been approved by India's federal ministry of information and broadcasting, said Irfan Ahmed, who runs the main cable operation in Srinagar.

Ahmed said that it was the first time he received a written government order about the Pakistani channels, and that he had complied. Other cable operators also stopped airing channels.

Raveen Singh, a spokesman for the information ministry in New Delhi, said that there was not a blanket ban on Pakistani TV channels but that all of them had to be cleared by the ministry. “It's up to the local authorities to enforce the rules,” he said.

Cable operators said they were still broadcasting one Pakistani channel, QTV, which has Islamic-oriented programs on topics like mysticism, ethics and dialogue between different schools of thought in Islam. They said the channel was not mentioned in the order.

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.”

The situation in Kashmir has been tense in recent weeks, with police tear gassing protesters calling for a proper investigation into 1,000 unmarked graves discovered over the past two years.

Farooq said the move to bar the channels had dented the claims about the improving situation in the state. “The move to stop airing Pakistani channels shows the real face of Indian government,” said Syed Ali Shah Geelani. “They are talking about normalisation of the situation, friendship and trade but what can one understand from this decision?"

Pro-India parties also expressed resentment. “It goes against the freedom of the press,” said Nizamuddin Bhat, general secretary of People's Democratic Party, which is part of the state's ruling coalition.

 

[EagleEyes]

Funny that they talk about Chinese freedom so much.

 

[haviZsultan]

Funny that they talk about Chinese freedom so much.

Exactly, that also when they do this in Kashmir. This is Salma who shifted from srinagar. Shes a freind of mine. I asked her why she hates india:

What sort of question is this? Havi you know what these bastards do to muslims. Its a ******* crime to be a muslim in India specially in Kashmir. They are all killers rapists and thieves.

Why I hate India is because my sister was raped by the ******* bastards and it kills her that no single person will marry her until she dies and everyone will stare at her and say look this was the girl that got raped atleast those who know. I hate India because the animals arrested and tortured my father. I hate India because my mother and sister cry everyday about what the ***** have done to our lives. Havi I know about why you don't say anything about when you lived in India and only refer to what happened on your last visit as Pakistani citizen but now what happened as indian one becauase I know you saw the same things I did perhaps even worse so why the stupid questions??? I did'nt expect this from you. I don't know how many more peoples lives we will let the Indians destroy. Maybe god just hates us so much and we have to accept it.

The last paragraph is not worth qouting at all... she just swore at everything... even at the Almighty... i feel sorry for her. Had i still been in US i could have tried and helped her. Well my freinds don't leave much in the way of swearing thats for certain. :p

Well then theres this:

India, Kashmir: over 9,000 women raped and molested, 22,000 women widowed and around 10,600 children orphaned in the Kashmir conflict

India, Kashmir: over 9,000 women raped and molested, 22,000 women widowed and around 10,600 children orphaned in the Kashmir conflict

It further mentions that since the beginning of the armed struggle in Kashmir in 1989, sexual violence has been routinely perpetrated on Kashmiri women, with 11.6 per cent of respondents saying they were victims of sexual abuse.

Wailing woes,Women in Kashmir suffer rape, molestation, kin's disappearances, psychological trauma and torture, while the much-hyped slogan of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh proclaiming 'zero tolerance' towards human rights abuse stares him in the fac

I wonder how many more there are because the girls usually never talk about it until they're not the religious type... also innocent kashmiris are shot dead and then the indians claim they were militants or ISI agents. Some unmarked graves of so called "ISI agents" have turned out to be of Kashmiri civilians. Its the indian slaughterhouse. If you want to be part of a real scenario of SAW movies go straight to Indian Occupied Kashmir and u'll live ur life in fear all the time.

 

[IceCold]

Hypocrisy seems to be at the top these days. So much for being the worlds biggest democracy and voice raisers for freedom of speech.

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

Hypocrisy seems to be at the top these days. So much for being the worlds biggest democracy and voice raisers for freedom of speech

Big deal , India also bans Voice of Tigers, I am a Tamil and I would like to listen to those radio channels.I did not know I lost my freedom due to not listening to VOT

 

[haviZsultan]

Big deal , India also bans Voice of Tigers, I am a Tamil and I would like to listen to those radio channels.I did not know I lost my freedom due to not listening to VOT

Well said... brilliant words... I expected nothing more

so just tell me one thing? How is india the worlds largest democracy when views and opinions and channels showing a certain view are not allowed to present their case and only state media and views presented by the one sole government are allowed? U guys cry about communists but u guys aren't far away from it.

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

so just tell me one thing? How is india the worlds largest democracy when views and opinions and channels showing a certain view are not allowed to present their case and only state media and views presented by the one sole government are allowed?

Einstein, did you read your post yourself befor typing. State media? what BS is that, we have one of the largest private networks and channels running in this country that stand upto the government and question them and say what they like to say however communista nations dont have that facility don't they nor did our government raid private tv channels like Mush did for GEO. Freedom , demcracy can only be ensured for Indian citizens and Indian media that is important for us . If you atre so concerne come to India and start a channel .

The issue here is soverignity of the nation and I think Pakistan would be happy to receive pro Baloch independence views from channels from iran wouldn't you?

 

[haviZsultan]

Einstein, did you read your post yourself befor typing. State media? what BS is that, we have one of the largest private networks and channels running in this country that stand upto the government and question them and say what they like to say however communista nations dont have that facility don't they nor did our government raid private tv channels like Mush did for GEO. Freedom , demcracy can only be ensured for Indian citizens and Indian media that is important for us . If you atre so concerne come to India and start a channel .

The issue here is soverignity of the nation and I think Pakistan would be happy to receive pro Baloch independence views from channels from iran wouldn't you?

Well if you are so confident in your beliefs then why should journalists in Kashmir be arrested:

"Charging a Kashmiri journalist under the Official Secrets Act in the present circumstances would seem an effort to intimidate any media which tries to report independently on the conflict in the province," said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to Indian Interior Minister Lal Krishna Advani.

IFEX ::

Why should a little boy handing out a tiny home made magazine about how Indians killed his father:

A 9 year old boy and his 15 year old brother were arrested yesterday for handing out a magazine that "promoted unrest". The magazine was printed by the family and was about the plight of the average Kashmiri family. The families earning member has been killed and they were trying to sell the magazines to make some money and while doing so tell the world about their plight and that of the average Kashmiri family in Srinagar.

We stilll do. All these sites for anti pakistani propaganda are open despite the fact that some huge lies (there is no operation in Kalat):
BALOCHWARNA - News
AzadBalochistan
Balochvoice - Baloch Struggle of self-determination

The point is channels that present a viewpoint that is telling the truth or bringing to attention something the Indian media ignores. Eg. Star news and zee news and duddarshan are all known to be pro indian channels. Why was'nt muslim political channel like Islamnews approved. Anyway u don't work there but still i would like it if u understood and admit that there is huge bias when it comes to letting others present their own views and opinions.

 

[haviZsultan]

Einstein, did you read your post yourself befor typing. State media? what BS is that, we have one of the largest private networks and channels running in this country that stand upto the government and question them and say what they like to say however communista nations dont have that facility don't they nor did our government raid private tv channels like Mush did for GEO. Freedom , demcracy can only be ensured for Indian citizens and Indian media that is important for us . If you atre so concerne come to India and start a channel .

The issue here is soverignity of the nation and I think Pakistan would be happy to receive pro Baloch independence views from channels from iran wouldn't you?

Finish typing already theres a comment waiting for u on the other thread also. Learn to reply quickly... u think i have all day? Indians seem to have too much time on their hands. Perhaps taking so much time to call Kashmiri peoples claims a lie and bashing Pakistanis on youtube has made them a great secular democracy and an example for the world. Ofcourse its all for india pakistan freindship that they do it...

I mean obviously killing Kashmiri innocents and saying they are pakistani ISI agents and murdering a Pakistani fan who goes to watch a cricket match definately does bring our people closer... I must admit India stands as a great example of a peaceful nation where 91000 Kashmiris have died in last 18 years and 300000 Sikhs have been slaughtered brutally in hate related incidents since partition...

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

Well if you are so confident in your beliefs then why should journalists in Kashmir be arrested:

Because he might have violated a law or written in support of banned outfits, the sam happens here in Tamilnadu and even politicians get arrested under POTA for talking about Tamils in Srilanka.

Why should a little boy handing out a tiny home made magazine about how Indians killed his father:

As if we did not have anyothr work. If I print a poster or write a magazine about the plight of Srilankan Tamils or freedom struggle I would equally be arrested and put in jail. writing in support of banned movements is a crime, writing somthing that instigate violence is also a crime.period

The point is channels that present a viewpoint that is telling the truth or bringing to attention something the Indian media ignores.

No problem in that provided that don't violate the law and constitution , however freedom can be ensured for Indian media alon and not for foreign media with whom we have fought three wars.

Why was'nt muslim political channel like Islamnews approved.

Because it does not adhere to code of conduct, we dont want a jihad within our borders dont we and neither do you.

Anyway u don't work there but still i would like it if u understood and admit that there is huge bias when it comes to letting others present their own views and opinions.

Indian media stopped short of calling Narendra modi a terrorist during the last Gujarath election. There was a media blitzkerig against Gujarath riots in The Hindu. Obviosly people in Indian media will be patriotic and will present view that are right according to them and not towards what you feel is right. They might be biased and heck they are free to be biased who stops them. Again I repeat if you want you can start a channel here in India and present your views.

We stilll do. All these sites for anti pakistani propaganda are open despite the fact that some huge lies (there is no operation in Kalat):
BALOCHWARNA - News
AzadBalochistan
Balochvoice - Baloch Struggle of self-determination

Big deal . I was referring to TV channels, even here I can freely watch eelam.com and no one is stopping me .Tell me why ban bollywood movies when your media is so free

 

[IceCold]

Big deal , India also bans Voice of Tigers, I am a Tamil and I would like to listen to those radio channels.I did not know I lost my freedom due to not listening to VOT

Tell me then indiapakistanfriendship, why is it a big deal when it comes to china? Funny it is almost in every chinese thread you were the front runner in raising voice for the expression of freedom, yet when it comes down to india, you call it a big deal.
Also kindly explain me that since you are a tamil and you dont feel you lost your freedom because the voice of tigers have been banned in india how come that when it comes to china you think the chinese have?

 

[indiapakistanfriendship]

Tell me then indiapakistanfriendship, why is it a big deal when it comes to china? Funny it is almost in every chinese thread you were the front runner in raising voice for the expression of freedom, yet when it comes down to india, you call it a big deal.

I thought I had explained to you clearly LTTE is a banned organisation and therefor its airwaves are blocked here but are people in China terrorists that they cannot own their media and air their views? You have a skewed view when you raised the issue both VOT, GEO,PTV are foreign channels and are creating a security problem and hence forth banned. Here we have papers that critisize the government and I can even claim that my government is incometent and I wouldnt be thrown into prison.

Also kindly explain me that since you are a tamil and you dont feel you lost your freedom because the voice of tigers have been banned in india how come that when it comes to china you think the chinese have?

I love my country more than anything else so will you. LTTE killed the PM of my country and it is banned here and I shall obey the law and constitution.

There is a ton of difference with regard to China. In China government thinks that they are dumb that they dont allow them to speak freely however in India I can own private media I can protest against my government, fortunately my government thinks that I am not so dumb ...

cheers

 

[Flintlock]

Tell me then indiapakistanfriendship, why is it a big deal when it comes to china? Funny it is almost in every chinese thread you were the front runner in raising voice for the expression of freedom, yet when it comes down to india, you call it a big deal.
Also kindly explain me that since you are a tamil and you dont feel you lost your freedom because the voice of tigers have been banned in india how come that when it comes to china you think the chinese have?

Every country has certain limits to freedom of expression. Sometimes these limits are self-imposed, sometimes they are unwritten rules, and sometimes they are written.

Usually, in democratic countries, these limits include anti-national, inflammatory or divisive expression.
In single-party states, like China, these limits include whatever is perceived as a threat to the rule of the party.

Occasionally things are banned in order to prevent the outbreak of violence, esp. religious/ethnic violence.

In the US, the mainstream media usually has self-imposed limits, and the same applies for India.

Basically, it depends on what amount of variation the existing system can tolerate. Democracies are usually very robust, and can withstand a variety of viewpoints/opinions.

Dictatorships/Single Party States/Theocracies/Monarchies are by nature unstable. They are very vulnerable to changes in public opinion. Therefore, the rulers are compelled to control the flow of information.

What I am trying to say, is that "freedom of expression", like "democracy" isn't an absolute thing.
When we say that "USA has freedom of expression", we have defined the term in a certain way.

Even China has freedom of expression. However, these freedoms are extremely narrow, as compared to India.

I think I've rambled long enough. Thanks.

 

[IceCold]

Every country has certain limits to freedom of expression. Sometimes these limits are self-imposed, sometimes they are unwritten rules, and sometimes they are written.

Usually, in democratic countries, these limits include anti-national, inflammatory or divisive expression.
In single-party states, like China, these limits include whatever is perceived as a threat to the rule of the party.

Occasionally things are banned in order to prevent the outbreak of violence, esp. religious/ethnic violence.

In the US, the mainstream media usually has self-imposed limits, and the same applies for India.

Basically, it depends on what amount of variation the existing system can tolerate. Democracies are usually very robust, and can withstand a variety of viewpoints/opinions.

Dictatorships/Single Party States/Theocracies/Monarchies are by nature unstable. They are very vulnerable to changes in public opinion. Therefore, the rulers are compelled to control the flow of information.

What I am trying to say, is that "freedom of expression", like "democracy" isn't an absolute thing.
When we say that "USA has freedom of expression", we have defined the term in a certain way.

Even China has freedom of expression. However, these freedoms are extremely narrow, as compared to India.

I think I've rambled long enough. Thanks.

A rather more appreciable view. Every country does have its own set of rules and an extent to which they allow their people to go. China is no exception, it may be less then india however acceptable to chinese and hence should be acceptable to the rest of the world.

 

[HAIDER]

Compare to Pak and Indian media, i would say Pakistani media really need to be leashed. Watch Indian news channel many times, they always avoid any confrontational news that could harm Pak-India relations. But it doesn't mean ban impose on Pak channels. What Indian been achieving last so many years is totally changing since Mushi adopt open media policy.