Independent journalism under clouds in India: APHC AJK leader
Islamabad: The Indian government’s crackdown on independent journalism has reached alarming levels, particularly in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC-AJK leader Shaikh Abdul Majid in a statement in Islamabad said recent reports reveal a disturbing trend of harassment and intimidation and urged the media representatives to strive for upholding transparency and accountability.
Zubair Ahmed, a journalist with Fact Checker, has become a victim of this oppressive campaign. Pressure from the Indian government has led the popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to force Zubair Ahmed to close his account. Zubair Ahmed’s courageous reporting, exposing India’s false propaganda and highlighting the plight of the people, has drawn the ire of authorities in Delhi.
Shaikh Abdul Majid, condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) heavy-handed tactics. The recent Lok Sabha elections reflected public dissatisfaction with the BJP governance, leading to a coalition government struggling to rebuild its lost stability and in response, the Indian government has resorted to silencing dissenting voices, including those within the independent media, he added.
“The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is particularly dire, with journalists facing imprisonment and even death for daring to report the truth. Such flagrant attacks on press freedom undermine the very foundations of democracy and human rights,” he maintained.
