Srinagar
In occupied Kashmir, senior Hurriyat leader Professor Abdul Ghani Butt while expressing solidarity with Kashmiri journalists has said that the new media policy announced by India is a clear attack on journalism and freedom of press in the territory.
Professor Abdul Ghani Butt during a meeting with a team of Journalists in Srinagar said, ‘We are in complete solidarity with journalists and the recent announcement of Indian media policy is clear attack on journalism and freedom of press.’
He maintained that the freedom of expression and freedom of press was the basic right and there would be suffocation without it. ‘Under the new policy, the [Indian] government would monitor the published and broadcast material,’ he added.
Professor Butt denounced the house arrest of Hurriyat forum Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and demanded the release of the Mirwaiz and all Kashmiri political detainees languishing in different Indian jails. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is under house arrest in Srinagar since August 5, 2019.
He said Kashmir is an internationally-recognized dispute, which needs to be resolved according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that peace in South Asia was linked with resolution of this longstanding dispute.—KMS
