World

Gagged: Indian govt bans newspaper in IoK

By Web Desk
October 03, 2016

SRINAGAR: The puppet government of Habiba Mufti in Indian Occupied Kashmir has banned publication of independent newspaper ‘Kashmir Reader’, calling it a threat to the ‘public tranquility’. 

The order, issued by district magistrate Srinagar, says that publication of the newspaper can “easily incite acts of violence and disturb peace and tranquility”.

This is not the first time that the government of Narendra Modi has attempted to gag voice. In July, Indian government had ordered to suspend publication of newspapers for three days.

Commenting on the ban, another noted journalist Haziq Qadri said Kashmir Reader is facing ban for writing the truth. ‘This is an another slap on so called democracy. They don't want media to highlight the human right abuses.’

Hilal Ahmad Mir, editor of Kashmir Reader, said: “We received this order and we have not been verbally told anything. They have said we are a threat to peace. We are unable to understand, how we could be a threat to peace.”

Srinagar-based journalist, Muhammad Faysal said Kashmir Reader is an independent paper whose reporting on the recent uprising and before created ripples in the region. It was impactful and for them any voice is dangerous hence it was shutdown, he added.

Modi government is under immense pressure due to rising unrest in the territory after and has resorted to inhuman practices to oppress the people’s movement for freedom. Over hundred of Kashmiris have been killed at the hands of Indian security forces and hundreds are injured in indiscriminate firing from pellet guns.