One of the militants at the funeral at Qaimoh in Kulgam on Sunday. Shuaib Masoodi One of the militants at the funeral at Qaimoh in Kulgam on Sunday. Shuaib Masoodi

The Jammu and Kashmir government has asked all deputy commissioners to ensure that no Pakistani TV channel is aired in the Valley. It has also blocked the airing of most religious channels, including those from Saudi Arabia. The directive comes a day after the Centre asked the state government to ensure that unauthorised beaming of such channels in Kashmir is blocked.

State Home Secretary R K Goyal issued the order to the deputy commissioners on Saturday, asking them to report “what action has been taken” against cable operators who beam the “non-permitted TV channels”. He told the deputy commissioners they “can seize the equipment” of cable operators who transmit such channels.

Referring to some media reports that non-permitted TV channels were being aired in Kashmir, Goyal asked them to “ensure that urgent necessary action” is taken in the matter.

“It needs to be noted that transmission of non-permitted TV channels, apart from attracting the violation mentioned above, has the potential to encourage or incite violence and create law and order disturbances in the Kashmir valley,” says the directive.

The list of “non-permitted TV channels”, issued by Goyal, includes most Pakistani news and entertainment channels, including PTV Sports.

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