*ISLAMABAD: **Pakistan strongly react over the media repression andharassment in Occupied Kashmir.*
Pakistan has strongly condemned repression of the media in Indian OccupiedJammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) and called for an end to the “campaign ofharassment and intimidation” by the Modi administration on World PressFreedom Day.
“Today, on World Press Freedom Day, we express solidarity with thejournalist fraternity in IOJ&K, which continues to face a relentlesscampaign of harassment and intimidation,” Aisha Farooqui, spokesperson forthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement on Sunday.
“While saluting their exceptional courage, we also honour the sacrifice ofthose Kashmiri journalists who have laid down their lives in the line ofduty. The latest among those martyrs was Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018,” shesaid.
The Foreign Office also commended Kashmiri journalists for continuing towork with conviction and professionalism, despite the heavy handedness ofIndian occupation forces acting with impunity under the draconian PublicSafety Act (PSA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and UnlawfulActivities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Global media watchdogs, Indian and international human rights groups, andcivil society organisations have expressed deep concerns over unprecedentedrestrictions imposed on the media, the widespread intimidation of Kashmirijournalists, and the precarious state of their work environment.
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“It is clear that the RSS-inspired BJP Government is motivated by the soleobjective of hiding its blatant human rights violations in IOJ&K and isbent on muzzling independent voices of the media and journalists.
The situation has become more alarming after India’s illegal andunilateral actions of 5 August 2019,” read the statement.
“Pakistan condemns this Indian campaign of harassment and intimidation andcalls upon India to immediately lift all communication restrictions inIOJ&K; withdraw frivolous cases filed against Kashmiri journalists; andrestore all fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people.”
