(PPF/IFEX) – In New Delhi on 2 June 1999, the Indian minister for information and broadcasting, Pramod Mahajan, banned the transmission of Pakistan Television (PTV) by cable operators. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Mahajan said cable operators throughout the country would be prohibited from telecasting PTV programmes because of the “vilification campaign against India, especially […]
(PPF/IFEX) – In New Delhi on 2 June 1999, the Indian minister for
information and broadcasting, Pramod Mahajan, banned the transmission of
Pakistan Television (PTV) by cable operators.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Mahajan said cable operators
throughout the country would be prohibited from telecasting PTV programmes
because of the “vilification campaign against India, especially in
connection with the Kargil situation,” a reference to the military
operations launched by the Indian army in Kashmir. All independent
international media are banned in Indian-occupied Kashmir, in efforts to
maintain an almost complete news blackout regarding human rights violations
there.
Pakistan has long accused India of jamming PTV’s transmission via satellites
and interference relays. This is in contrast to the unrestricted
availability in Pakistan of Indian satellite networks. The Indians stations
are not only popular in Pakistan, but businesses in Pakistan also provide
considerable advertising to these stations.
Mohajan said that he had advised state governments to immediately issue
orders to the police asking them to take swift action against cable
operators flouting the order.
