Srinagar, Jul 22 (KNS): Chairman PDF and MLA Khansahib Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen has expressed concern over the rider put foreign journalists to travel to state. He said after banning transmission of about 30 TV channels in Kashmir, curbs on foreign journalists to visit state was most unfortunate adding that this advisory besides causing hurdles in the free working of media fraternity, was bound to create a scare among the tourists intending to visit to Jammu and Kashmir. He said such kind of harsh and dictorial steps were against the overall interests of state’s people.
In a statement issued to KNS, Hakeem Yaseen has said that the advisory issued by the External Affairs Ministry yesterday that any foreign journalist cannot enter the state unless seeking its permission was a serious blow on freedom of press. He said such kind of curbs were not seen even in 1990 when militancy was at its peak. He said ban on TV channels followed by curbs on journalists was contrary to the claims of the Government that situation in state was limping back to normalcy.
He has asked the Centre and the Governor administration to lift the advisory immediately and let the media to work freely, without creating unnecessary hurdles in their way. He said use of internet has revolutionized the world of entire communication system where every bit of happenings across the world gets disseminated worldwide in seconds like supersonic waves.
He questioned how under these circumstances putting restrictions on a journalist could help to conceal the facts. “I think instead of helping in restoration of peace, such kind of arbitrary steps would only prove counterproductive,” Hakeem Yaseen maintained. He said instead of trying undemocratic steps to restore peace, both Center and Governor administration should take overall media fraternity also on board in any future dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir dispute, which was the main cause of conflict and violence in the sub-continent. (KNS)