PTV news back on air, other Pak channels remains off in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 13 (UNI) PTV news is back on air in the Kashmir valley where as the transmission of three other pakistani channels remained suspended since April 23.

The local cable operators suspended the transmission of four Pakistani channels--PTV, Geo, ARY and Aaj from April 23 following alleged ban imposed by the district authorities.

The talks between the authorities and cable operators had not yielded any breakthrough so far and the pakistani channels remained off the air.

However, the transmission of PTV news had been resumed. It was not immediately known if the transmission of PTV news was resumed with the approval of the authorities.

The authorities had banned the airing of the Pakistani channels in the valley and warned that any cable operator found violating the ban orders would be booked under the Cable Television Network (Regulation)Act 1996.

Almost all separatists and mainstream political parties have criticised the authorities for imposing ban on the channels.

This was for the first time the cable operators in Kashmir were directed to stop airing the channels from the neighbouring country.

However, the operation of all cable operators in the valley remained suspended during the 90s because of threat from separatists organisations. A number of foreign channels airing immoral programmes remained off the air in the valley for the past one year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig inaugurated a local channel at Baramulla in north Kashmir.

UNI BAS ASM JT RN1443