Pakistan

‘Indian media fanning war hysteria’

Failure in observing peaceful journalism may lead the region to catastrophic consequences

Our Correspondent October 24, 2019

A security personnel stands guard on a street during a lockdown in Srinagar. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: The Indian media is biased in reporting the Kashmir issue which shows its complicity with Hindutva hardliners, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

This was the opinion of speakers at the seminar 'Post 5 August Reporting of Kashmir Issue with Special Reference to Indian Media', organised by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Islamabad in collaboration with Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and Riphah Institute of Media Sciences (RIMS).

They were of the opinion that media is supposed to be the watchdog of democracy but Indian media is acting as the trumpet of the government. Its irrational aggressive posture only fuels war hysteria and the failure in observing peaceful journalism may lead the region to catastrophic consequences.

Former president and prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Muhamad Anwar Khan chaired the session where Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Chairman Syed Fakhar Imam spoke as the chief guest. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan gave the keynote address, while the opening remarks were delivered by IPS Executive President of Khalid Rahman.

Speakers included Kashmiri-Canadian scholar and associate professor International Affairs at Qatar University Dr Farhan Mujahid Chak, KMS executive director Sheikh Tajammulul Islam, NDU Faculty of Peace and Conflict Studies assistant professor Dr Asma Shakir Khawaja, IPS associate Brig (retd) Said Nazir, AJK former minister Farzana Yaqoob, TV Today Director News Mohsin Raza Khan, CPNE Vice-President Sardar Khan Niazi,

Dunya News Kashmir Crisis Cell Head Tariq Habib, Express News anchorperson Rehman Azhar. Fakhar Imam termed the Indian media's coverage of the Kashmir issue a travesty of professional journalism. Ali Muhammad Khan said: “We need to exploit the fault lines that exist within the Indian society.”

Not only the national media of India, but also the corporate-owned private media groups are reporting the situation in Kashmir with a partial approach, narrating only what fits the official policy, and ignoring the reality.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2019.