Srinagar, Apr 3, : Chairman PDF Hakeem Yaseen has castigated Government for banning issuance of advertisements to the three leading daily news papers of the state including Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Reader and kashmir Uzma.
Hakeem Yaseen has said that the ban on these kashmir based news papers amounts to strangulation of the voice of people, especially at a time when the Parliamentary election process was at its peak throughout the country as also in the state. He said the arbitrary ban on the selected news papers was undemocratic and against freedom of press.
PDF Chairman has urged the Governor, S P Malik to lift advertisement ban on these news papers immediately so that they are not put to any inconvenience and harrasment. He said it was sacred duty of the Governmen to facilitate press to highlight public issues and pinpoint lacuna , if any, in functioning of the administration.
Hakeem Yaseen has also asked the Press Council of India to take note of the harrasment caused to the press in the state by the government .He said press in the state has been working under constant pulls and pressures due to ongoing abnormal security and political situation particularly since 1990 adding that it does not augur well for any Government to intimidate free press under any circumstances. “Hope that the ban on press would not brow beat or deter it from objective and un- biased reporting,” Hakeem Yaseen added.
