Cable operators in Jammu & Kashmir have decided to take foreign entertainment channels off the air following threats from militant groups in Kashmir.
SRINAGAR: Cable operators in Jammu & Kashmir have decided to take foreign entertainment channels off the air following threats from militant groups in Kashmir.
The Al Madina and Al Badr outfits have asked cable operators to stop operations forthwith, or else bear the consequences. A spokesman from the Al Madina group called up the local news agency asking cable operators to comply with the ban immediately.
The fresh dictates from the militants has send shivers down the spine of the cable operators who have decided to stop beaming foreign channels which the ultras have deemed “unislamic”.
Over 20,000 people are associated with the cable operations in Kashmir. Most of them took up this profession after they were unable to get employment in government or private sector.
“The cable operations provides livelihood to thousands of educated unemployed youth. If the operations are closed, they will lose everything,” said Amjad Noor Mir, managing director of Site Entertainment Network.
Cable operators fear if their operations are stopped, their clients would be forced to avail DTH services, especially with the cricket world cup coming up soon.
This is not the first time that cable operations have been asked to stop operations in Kashmir. Cable operators were forced to stop beaming entertainment channels in July and October 2005 after three of their colleagues were shot dead by unidentified militants.
Last year militants lobbed a grenade at a cable operator at Peer Bagh. Militants also barged into the office of another cable operator at Khanyar and threatened him of dire consequences.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, central Kashmir range, Farooq Ahmad said cable operators should come forward and lodge complaints. “They should approach the local police station and lodge a complaint. We will then take necessary action to protect them,” he said.
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