LONDON: The BBC said Thursday it will expand shortwave radio news coveragein Kashmir to ease the impact of a communications blackout imposed by theIndian government.
The British broadcaster’s announcement came after New Delhi scrapped anarticle of the Indian constitution granting special status to parts of thedisputed Himalayan region under its control.
Indian occupied Kashmir — it is split with arch-rival Pakistan — has beenunder lockdown since the day before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiannounced the change on August 5.
The BBC said the number and length of programmes will grow in a variety oflanguages spoken in the densely populated region of the Indian-administeredpart of Kashmir.
“Given the shutdown of digital services and phone lines in the region, it’sright for us to try and increase the provision of news on our short waveradio services,” BBC World Service Director Jamie Angus said in a statement.
“The provision of independent and trusted news in places of conflict andtension is one of the core purposes of the World Service.”
The BBC said its News Hindi radio output will be extended by 30 minutesfrom Friday.
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News Urdu — the official language of Pakistan spoken by Muslims whocompromise the majority in Indian occupied Kashmir — will launch a15-minute daily programme on Monday.
The World Service added that its English morning broadcasts will end anhour later than usual.
The evening English-language news will start an hour earlier and end attheir usual time.
The BBC said India is now its radio service’s largest market — picked up by50 million people a week.
Short wave transmissions travel thousands of miles (kilometres) and areable to bounce over mountains that dominate the region. -APP/AFP
